An Immersive Simulation to Build Empathy for Geriatric Patients with Co-Occurring Physical and Mental Illness

• Published in: Academic psychiatry 2020-12, Vol.44 (6), p.745-750
• Main Authors: Saiva, Anika, Abdool, Petal S., Naismith, Laura M., Nirula, Latika
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Baby boomers; Behavioral Objectives; Clinical competence; Clinical outcomes; Consent; Data Analysis; Data collection; Design; Educational Environment; Empathy; Geriatrics; Hallucinations; Headphones; In Brief Report; Medical Education; Medical personnel; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental disorders; Mental health; Older people; Patients; Pharmacists; Professionals; Psychiatry; Questionnaires; School environment; Simulation; Systematic review; Writing
• ISSN: 1042-9670; 1545-7230
• DOI: 10.1007/s40596-020-01233-w

Objective The objective of the study was to explore the effectiveness of an immersive simulation experience using an aging simulation suit for fostering empathy towards geriatric patients with advanced mental illness. Method Psychiatry residents were recruited during their clinical rotations at a Canadian mental health hospital. The participants took on the first-person perspective of a geriatric patient with mental illness initially through written reflection, and then physically inhabited this role by wearing an aging simulation suit to perform the task of meeting with a pharmacist to review current medications and prepare a dosette. Concurrently, an audio file was played through headphones to simulate auditory hallucinations. A pre- and post-Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE), reflective writing exercise, debrief transcription, and evaluation questionnaire were used to evaluate the intervention. Interviews conducted 3 month post-intervention explored its impact on their clinical practice. Results Fifteen psychiatry residents completed the study. There was a significant increase in JSE scores pre ( M  = 115.5, SD  = 13.2) to post ( M  = 119.2, SD  = 12.7) intervention, t (14) = 2.65, p  = .02. The qualitative findings of the study demonstrated participants’ improved understanding and awareness of the patient perspective and the ability to communicate this understanding and show intentions to help through practice change. Conclusion An aging suit simulation with debriefing may be an effective educational intervention to incorporate into the medical curriculum to foster empathy for this stigmatized population.