Development and evaluation of a virtual reality basic life support for undergraduate students in Thailand: a project by Mae Fah Luang University (MFU BLiS VR)

BACKGROUND: In traditional basic life support training for university students or the public, trainees practice simulations only once or twice during the course, potentially limiting their competence. In contrast, virtual reality allows trainees to independently study and practice as often as needed, enhancing their skills. This research and development project aimed to develop and evaluate a novel learning device, virtual reality basic life support for undergraduate students of Mae Fah Luang University (MFU BLiS VR). METHODS: This study employed a two-group, pre- and post-test design, involving seventy students (n = 35 in each group) from Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand. Data were collected from March 2022 to January 2023. The experimental group received the MFU BLiS VR, in addition to traditional teaching, while the control group received only traditional teaching. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon signed ranks test. RESULTS: “MFU BLiS VR” provided a learning experience in out-of-hospital basic life support for adult patients in four scenarios: (1) a person who was not breathing but had a pulse; (2) a person who was not breathing, had no pulse, and required defibrillation; (3) a person who was not breathing, had no pulse, and did not require defibrillation; and (4) a person with normal breathing and pulse but was unconscious. Each scenario was presented sequentially from scenario one to scenario four. The scenarios encompassed common and complex situations requiring prompt and effective bystander responses to save lives. The results revealed that the experimental group had a significantly shorter no-flow time compared to the control group (Z = -5.02, p < .001) and achieved significantly higher knowledge scores than the control group (Z = -3.39, p < .01) as well as superior practical skills (Z = -7.26, p < .001). Both groups reported the highest satisfaction levels in all aspects, with no significant differences. CONCLUSION: MFU BLiS VR is an effective training approach for teaching and learning basic life support and the use of an automated electronic defibrillator. It captures students’ attention and enhances their understanding of these essential life support skills, which are crucial for everyone. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-023-04764-6.