A "world-first" virtual reality simulation is preparing Newcastle nursing students for high-pressure situations and challenges in the emergency room.
The Conflict Resolution training program uses virtual reality (VR) to replicate an emergency room scenario where students must remain calm and navigate a range of challenges to manage a situation with "Angry Stan" - an avatar based on real-world interactions.
The program, a collaboration between the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the University's IT Services Innovation Team, monitors the heart rate of second-year students as they practice controlling their stress levels, managing conflict and building resilience before they enter the clinical environment.
"Knowing how to effectively diffuse an escalating situation while keeping a clear head can make a life-changing difference in emergency care, which is why we want to ensure our graduates are well-equipped with resilience training when entering the workforce," project lead, Dr Donovan Jones, said.
Students have to assess the situation and respond to Stan's questions in a way that puts him at ease, alongside balancing competing priorities, and maintaining a steady heart rate.
"Essentially, the calmer they remain, the easier Stan and the scenario is to deal with," he said.
It comes as the University of Newcastle introduces the world's latest Wi-Fi technology - Wi-Fi 6 - to its campuses. The university says Wi-Fi 6 has the potential to be 40 per cent faster than its predecessor, and also has the capacity to support multiple devices in congested areas.
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