Combinations Episode 40 – An Amazing Day - We launch Combined Virtual Reality with Delirium Training

Combined Healthcare is proud to launch a new addition to its portfolio of communications products and channels – Combined Virtual Reality (CVR). Combined Virtual Reality harnesses the latest innovations in communications tools and techniques. Virtual reality is an experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment, education, medical training and business (such as virtual meetings). Other distinct types of VR-style technology include augmented reality and mixed reality, sometimes referred to as extended reality or XR. Virtual reality systems use either virtual reality headsets or multi-projected environments to generate realistic images, sounds and other sensations that simulate a user’s physical presence in a virtual environment. A person using virtual reality equipment is able to look around the artificial world, move around in it, and interact with virtual features or items. The effect is commonly created by VR headsets consisting of a head-mounted display with a small screen in front of the eyes, but can also be created through specially designed rooms with multiple large screens. Virtual reality typically incorporates auditory and video feedback, but may also allow other types of sensory and force feedback through haptic technology. Delirium Training – our first CVR output To mark international World Delirium Awareness Day, we were proud that our first CVR output was a highly innovative training VR film to help frontline healthcare staff create conversations, increase understanding and empathy towards those with delirium and encourage us all to ‘think delirium’. You can experience the film through the link below either through a VR headset (such as Oculus Quest) or in a normal web browser, using drag and move to experience the 360 degree effect. https://youtu.be/J-jT5AtsmOo The film places the viewer inside the head of a patient with delirium in a hospital bed. We see what the patient sees, hear the thoughts in her head and experience some aspects of what delirium causes her to see. This includes delusions that staff are conspiring to poison her and fellow patients and dispose of their bodies, that the building is under attack and that air raid sirens are going off. The staff caring for this patient are unaware of these thoughts and perceptions and they struggle to understand why the patient is behaving as she does, so they respond in a less than helpful way. They also forget to place back her glasses or to turn on her hearing aide, adding to her distress. Eventually, a member of staff DOES recognise her distress and comes to her help. We were delighted that the launch of the training film is took place on World Delirium Day in partnership with colleagues at UHNM. Frontline staff across UHNM were offered the opportunity throughout the day to try out the film on Oculus headsets and discuss what they experienced with mental health and older person clinical leads from Combined Healthcare and UHNM.