HTC Vive was used to create a virtual chemotherapy clinic to simulate nurses day-to-day environment, creating a safe space for the administration of their 1st infusion of this new product.

The solution included:

a. A fully interactive VR experience with a reactive virtual patient

b. Sensors enabling physical movement in a 3D space

c. Handsets enabling users to pick up and engage with objects

This experience is projected so that other nurses assist the participant in dealing with the situations they see unfolding (as they would in real-life). After the experience, nurses receive a personalised 1:1 email with a real case study to enhance knowledge and improve retention.

To ensure digestible content, four distinct chapters were created:

1. Product Information (clinical data)

2. Pre & Post medication requirements

3. Administration and managing unidentified IRRs

4. Review all grades of IRR side by side from a symptom presentation perspective

Ahead of the project, interviews were held with nurses to check the applicability of this in the UK and received valuable insights which we fed into the requirements.

A VR suite was setup and every two weeks the latest build was tested and feedback for the next iteration provided. Nurses from three centres provided feedback in terms of content via teleconferences.

Once a prototype was ready, market research (MR) was conducted with nurses to check that user experience, real life simulation, processes of events, content and interface were aligned to real health requirements. The feedback was exceptional:

“This visual experience was really good and the programme has definitely made me feel more confident around patient safety” Nurse, London

The approach to MR won an award at the British Healthcare Business Intelligence Association annual conference for “Most Innovative Approach” as the judges felt it was a “Thought Provoking” piece of MR.

•85% of target nurses trained before access

•85 patients treated in first 28 days of launch with no delays or avoidable adverse events

•88% stated VR helped in clinical practice and has better prepared them for treatment

•88% stated VR had improved their confidence

•88% would recommend to a colleague and stated the content was engaging

•Engagement increased from 30 minutes - 180 minutes

•High agreement to key selling messages

•Winner of Eye for Pharma “Most Valuable HCP Initiative” Award 2018

Nurse Quotes:

•“I do think there is huge scope for this type of education for a whole range of nursing and medical education”

•"He had the bronchospasm we were told about... but it was no problem, we knew exactly what to do because of the training last week!"

•"Being able to actually see what the infusion reactions look like was really good. It makes it much less daunting"