Helping hands: an innovative tele-assistance system for clinical skill development with health science students final report 2016

Context: within health curricula, the learning of clinical skills typically begins in the classroom with an explanation of a procedure and the context of its application. The student then practices the skill in a safe, controlled environment (a skills laboratory), often using a manikin. Students are then provided opportunities to apply that skill to a real patient whilst on placement. This can be highly stressful for students who may feel nervous or overwhelmed by the experience and who are often fearful of making a mistake that may cause harm to the patient (Pulido-Martos, Augusta-Landa & Lopez-Zafra, 2011). Continued guidance and support is necessary to develop confidence and mastery of these skills. The application of Augmented Reality (AR) technology has the potential to contribute to learning outcomes in this area (Lee, 2012; Yuen, Yaoyuneyong & Johnson, 2011). In this project, we customised and piloted the application of a wearable, hands-free, low cost, AR audio-visual guidance system (Helping Hands) that enabled health science students (nurses, doctors, and others) to learn and practice clinical procedures with real-time virtual guidance provided by a procedural expert (an instructor) located remotely at another site. The project contributes to the acquisition, development and performance of practical skills by students whilst undertaking work-integrated learning (WIL) placements in hospitals and other health care settings.