Violence virtual reality de-escalation training for healthcare workers working in high-risk departments: Evaluation of perceived usefulness

Violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a growing global concern. In the wake of the pandemic, HCWs are subjected to physical and verbal violence more than ever before. This violence is largely unreported, and therefore, the true scope of the problem is unknown. Violence training is mandated in many jurisdictions; however, this has usually been online or classroom-based learning with hypothetical scenarios. Virtual reality (VR) offers a unique opportunity for HCWs to interact in violent scenarios to learn and practice de-escalation techniques. This research focuses on VR training of physicians in a 1-hour session with both quantitative and qualitative feedback from participants. The 27 physicians who participated showed statistically significant positive shifts in self-reported confidence in handling potentially violent situations and understanding of basic verbal de-escalation techniques. In addition, the participants consistently rated the VR training tool extremely high across all core evaluative domains, confirming its strong perceived usability, realism, engagement, satisfaction, and value. Notwithstanding logistical challenges and the need for longitudinal follow-up to test real-life impacts, VR allows physicians to practice their ability to interact with potentially violent patients or their families in a safe manner, which could increase their confidence in de-escalation skills and response to high-risk/violent incidents.