Nursing

Washington State students work in virtual world

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, December 5, 2007

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A Washington college has instituted an online, 3-D virtual reality network for their students to practice in, according to The Tacoma News Tribune.

Tacoma Community College uses the simulation technology (called Second Life) to replicate healthcare environments. Each student creates an online avatar-an Internet user's representation of himself or herself-to navigate the environment and face particular scenarios, such as a patient lying on an operating room table with a certain condition. The students can then instruct their avatars to treat the patient with real-life tools, such as medication or IVs.

Students are able to access Second Life from anywhere with Internet access 24 hours a day. The network was funded through a $10,000 grant from the Distance Learning Council of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Sources: The Tacoma News Tribune, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Other articles of interest:

Arizona hospital to bring in evidence-based design, technology

Bar codes enhance patient safety



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