Other Titles
Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
Workplace incivility is exponentially more detrimental in healthcare than in other professions. Through the degradation of communication pathways and team dynamics, incivility can negatively impact patient care quality and outcomes and place the success of organizations in potential jeopardy1. A variety of situational and environmental factors make the perioperative department a well-known, well-documented reservoir for harboring cultures of incivility2. Guided by evidence on the effectiveness of multi-modal learning3 and virtual reality (VR) technology for knowledge and skill enhancement, an innovative, multi-modal civility training curriculum with application of integrated VR technology4-5 as the mode for delivering the core components of the training was developed. One of 11 surgical pavilions at a large, academic medical center was identified to pilot the implementation of a Perioperative Workplace Civility Training Curriculum. Physicians, nurse leaders, staff educators and charge nurses made up the 26 participant pilot cohort. Administered three separate times, the Clark Workplace Civility Index© (CWCI) was used to measure outcomes related to civility competency along the continuum of the curriculum. Aided by three assigned pre-learning activities, core curriculum content consisted of two BodySwaps© modules that engaged the learner in interactive, simulated workplace conflict scenarios within an immersive VR environment, first from an initial perspective then again in an opposing perspective after the learner’s avatar “swaps” with their avatar peer in the virtual world. Reflective learning debriefs administered after each module were used to measure outcomes related to self-efficacy in application of skills6. A 2-4% increase in CWCI© post-training mean scores (91.3%, 93%) compared to the pre-training mean score (89.4%), and positive thematic analysis paired with independent review of reflective learning debrief responses measured outcomes that determined the success of the pilot-implementation. The keywords conflict-resolution, leadership and confidence predominantly reoccurred in participant reflective responses. Multi-modal learning using VR was effective in increasing civility competency and self-efficacy in skill application in perioperative staff. Strong leadership engagement, robust feedback, and overall enthusiasm for VR technology during the pilot will support implementation efforts for workplace civility training in subsequent cohorts.
Notes
References:
1. Martin LD, Zadinsky JK. Frequency and outcomes of workplace incivility in healthcare: A scoping review of the literature. J Nurs Manag. 2022;30(8):3496-3518. doi:10.1111/jonm.13783
2. Chipps E, Stelmaschuk S, Albert NM, Bernhard L, Holloman C. Workplace Bullying in the OR: Results of a Descriptive Study. AORN Journal. 2013;98(5):479-493. doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2013.08.015
3. Howard MS, Embree JL. Educational Intervention Improves Communication Abilities of Nurses Encountering Workplace Incivility. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. 2020;51(3):138-144. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32119109/
4. Herrmann LE, Elliott LE, Sucharew H, et al. Impact of a remote virtual reality curriculum pilot on clinician conflict communication skills. Hosp Pediatr. 2023;13(6):527-540. doi:10.1542/hpeds.2022-006990.
5. Philippe S, Souchet AD, Lameras P, et al. Multimodal teaching, learning and training in virtual reality: A review and case study. Virtual Reality Intell Hardware. 2020;2(5):421-442. doi:10.1016/j.vrih.2020.07.008.
6. Olsen JM, Aschenbrenner A, Merkel R, et al. A mixed-methods systematic review of interventions to address incivility in nursing. J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(6):319-326. doi:10.3928/01484834-20200520-04.
Sigma Membership
Epsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Workplace Incivility, Multi-Modal Learning, Virtual Reality, Skill Enhancement
Recommended Citation
Demeter, Rachel Marie; Ackerman, Michael; Buck, Jacalyn; and Justice, Stephanie, "Integrating Virtual Reality Into Workplace Civility Training" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 96.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/96
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Integrating Virtual Reality Into Workplace Civility Training
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Workplace incivility is exponentially more detrimental in healthcare than in other professions. Through the degradation of communication pathways and team dynamics, incivility can negatively impact patient care quality and outcomes and place the success of organizations in potential jeopardy1. A variety of situational and environmental factors make the perioperative department a well-known, well-documented reservoir for harboring cultures of incivility2. Guided by evidence on the effectiveness of multi-modal learning3 and virtual reality (VR) technology for knowledge and skill enhancement, an innovative, multi-modal civility training curriculum with application of integrated VR technology4-5 as the mode for delivering the core components of the training was developed. One of 11 surgical pavilions at a large, academic medical center was identified to pilot the implementation of a Perioperative Workplace Civility Training Curriculum. Physicians, nurse leaders, staff educators and charge nurses made up the 26 participant pilot cohort. Administered three separate times, the Clark Workplace Civility Index© (CWCI) was used to measure outcomes related to civility competency along the continuum of the curriculum. Aided by three assigned pre-learning activities, core curriculum content consisted of two BodySwaps© modules that engaged the learner in interactive, simulated workplace conflict scenarios within an immersive VR environment, first from an initial perspective then again in an opposing perspective after the learner’s avatar “swaps” with their avatar peer in the virtual world. Reflective learning debriefs administered after each module were used to measure outcomes related to self-efficacy in application of skills6. A 2-4% increase in CWCI© post-training mean scores (91.3%, 93%) compared to the pre-training mean score (89.4%), and positive thematic analysis paired with independent review of reflective learning debrief responses measured outcomes that determined the success of the pilot-implementation. The keywords conflict-resolution, leadership and confidence predominantly reoccurred in participant reflective responses. Multi-modal learning using VR was effective in increasing civility competency and self-efficacy in skill application in perioperative staff. Strong leadership engagement, robust feedback, and overall enthusiasm for VR technology during the pilot will support implementation efforts for workplace civility training in subsequent cohorts.
Description
The purpose of this initiative was to assess the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) technology in a multi-modal, workplace civility curriculum in increasing civility competency and self-efficacy in skill application in perioperative staff.