A research group led by Assistant Professor Kiyo Cory of the Graduate School of Health Sciences at Hokkaido University has succeeded in developing the world's first ventilator care XR simulator, which allows training on endotracheal suctioning while on a ventilator. XR (cross reality) is a general term for VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), and MR (mixed reality).
According to Hokkaido University, the research group, in cooperation with Professor Ninomiya Shinji of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hiroshima International University, and Associate Professor Komizunai Shunsuke of the Faculty of Creative Engineering, Kagawa University, developed a simulator that shows changes in biological reactions such as a decrease in oxygen concentration in the blood and changes in facial expressions when an endotracheal suction catheter is operated, and integrated this with a ventilator training app to develop an endotracheal suction training device for patients wearing a ventilator.
Endotracheal suction is a care to remove phlegm from the airway, and is performed by inserting a thin tube called a suction catheter through a cannula placed in the trachea when the patient is attached to a ventilator. The vagus nerve and brachiocephalic artery run parallel to the tracheal wall, and there is a risk of death if the catheter is not operated correctly.
This device not only enables highly invasive training that cannot be experienced in ward training, but also shows real-time biological reactions that cannot be shown with conventional simulators, allowing students to learn how to provide more empathic care to patients. The device was developed with the cooperation of Professor Misuzu Nakamura of the Nagoya City University Graduate School, Lecturer Mari Igarashi of the International University of Health and Welfare Graduate School, and the Inoue Creative Laboratory of the Kyushu Institute of Technology Graduate School.
According to a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the number of children on ventilators in Japan was estimated at 2005 in 264, but by 2020, the number had increased by about 19 times. Although 365-hour care is required, 24 days a year, it has become clear that adequate services cannot be provided due to a shortage of nurses with acute care knowledge of ventilators and the skills to care for children with disabilities. However, there are few simulation education opportunities during the basic nursing education period at nursing universities, and on-the-job training is the norm after graduation, which led to the development of this domestically produced, inexpensive simulator.
The research group hopes that by using this simulator to improve home care services for children receiving medical care and their families, it will reduce the number of people unintentionally leaving the workforce to care for their children and young carers, and make it possible to consider pre- and post-practice OSCE and nursing education programs that reflect the voices of those involved and their families (social needs).The group also plans to build an international collaborative research network, aiming to develop a curriculum that conforms to international standards for nursing education, not just in Japan.
