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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06351397

Immersive Mixed Reality Simulation to Evoke Empathy

This is a quantifiable study evaluating the ability of a mixed reality (MR), immersive simulation experience to evoke empathy in anesthesiology trainees. Quantitative methodologies will be employed using standardized questionnaires including the The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy for Health Professions Students, (HP-version). Trainees will assess their preliminary, baseline empathy using the Jefferson Scale and after the simulation and debrief, will reassess empathy scores, once again using the Jefferson Scale. A satisfaction survey to assess simulated patient embodiment as a valuable exercise and contributor to empathy education curriculum.

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Key information

Conditions

Educational Problems

Age range

18 year–99 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford

Palo Alto, California, 94303, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Trainees or personnel working and/or volunteering at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford / Stanford Health Care facilities
  • 18 years and older

Exclusion criteria

  • a history of severe motion sickness
  • currently have nausea
  • have a history of seizures
  • are uncomfortable wearing a ~7 pound weighted vest.

Treatment and study plan

Mixed Reality (MR)

Behavioral

Mixed Reality simulation of medical crisis scenarios.

MR headset - a device that the participants will wear over their head and eyes and will add holographic elements to a live view of workplace training scenario

Control

Behavioral

Tradition simulation of medical crisis scenarios.

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in self-reported empathy from before and after the simulation

    Time frame: baseline, immediately after the intervention

    Measured with Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy for physicians and other practicing health professionals (HP-Version). The survey contains 20 item with 7-point scale, 1 indicates strongly disagree and 7 indicates strongly agree (a higher number on the scale indicates more agreement).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Satisfaction of Design Features of the Simulation

    Time frame: immediately after the intervention

    Measured by Simulation Design Scale. The simulation design scale consists of 20 items in total. In the first stage, in order to evaluate whether the items used in the simulation method were given in the best way for the participant, they were expressed as strongly disagree, disagree, undecided, agree, strongly agree. The survey contains 20 item with 5-point scale, 1 indicates strongly disagree and 5 indicates strongly agree (a higher number on the scale indicates more agreement).

    In the second stage, there are statements that will determine the level of importance of the scale items for the participant, not important, partially important, undecided, important, very important. The survey contains 20 item with 5-point scale, 1 indicates not important and 5 indicates very important (a higher number on the scale indicates more important).

    In the evaluation phase, the scale score is calculated by dividing the total and the total of the sub-dimensions by the number of items.

  2. Evaluation of the CHARM system's usability

    Time frame: immediately after simulation

    Measured by System Usability Scale (SUS). The scale has 10 items. Scores ranges from 1-5 (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree)

  3. Evaluation of the CHARM system's ergonomics

    Time frame: immediately after simulation

    Measured by the ISO Ergonomic scale. The scale has 6 items. Scores ranges from 1-5 (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Stanford University

Other

Registry information

Acronym: Empathy

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Apr 8, 2024
Registry last updated
Jan 21, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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