Virtual Simulated Placements in Healthcare Education: A scoping review

Introduction A virtual simulated placement (VSP) is a computer-generated version of a practice placement. COVID-19 drove increased adoption of virtual technology in clinical education. Accordingly, the number of VSP publications increased from 2020. This review aims to determine the scope of this literature to inform future research questions. Objective Assess the range and types of evidence related to VSPs across the healthcare professions. Inclusion criteria Studies that focussed on healthcare students participating in VSPs. Hybrid, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) placements were excluded. Methods Fourteen databases were searched, limited to English, and dated from 1 st January 2020. Supplementary searches were employed, and an updated search was conducted on 9 th July 2023. Themes were synthesised using the PAGER framework to highlight patterns, advances, gaps, evidence for practice and research recommendations. Results Twenty-eight papers were reviewed. All VSPs were designed in response to pandemic restrictions. Students were primarily from medicine and nursing. Few publications were from developing nations. There was limited stakeholder involvement in the VSP designs and a lack of robust research designs, consistent outcome measures, conceptual underpinnings, and immersive technologies. Despite this, promising trends for student experience, knowledge, communication, and critical thinking skills using VSPs have emerged. Conclusion This review maps the VSP evidence across medicine, nursing, midwifery and allied health. Before a systematic review is feasible across healthcare, allied health and midwifery research require greater representation. Based on the highlighted gaps, other areas for future research are suggested. WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC Digital placements in undergraduate nursing and medicine have been studied in one existing systematic review, providing evidence that learning outcomes for knowledge and practice were equivalent to traditional placements. VSPs are a subset of digital placements that are computer-generated. With the increasing trend towards VSPs, an updated scoping review across a wider range of professions was justified. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS Scoping the literature on VSPs across healthcare for undergraduate and postgraduate students, provides a map across professions, specialities, countries, designs, content, and outcomes. HOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICY Gaps in allied health and midwifery VSP research highlight populations of focus. Future VSPs should consider Interprofessional Education (IPE) and resource sharing with developing countries. The benefits of immersive technologies are yet to be considered, and improvements to VSP design and research methodology are recommended.