سامانه همایش های دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد نجف آباد

صفحه اصلی / اولین همایش بین المللی تحول خدمات سلامت: تلفیق مراقبت، درمان، بازتوانی و امیدبخشی

Designing and Evaluating Virtual and Augmented Reality Scenarios for English for Medical Purposes: A Mixed-Methods Study of Communication Skills Training for Nurses and Physicians

نویسندگان :

Sara Mansouri¹

1- English Department, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran

کلمات کلیدی :

Virtual Reality،Augmented Reality،Communication Skills،English for Medical Purposes،Nursing Education،Medical Education،Scenario Design

چکیده :

Effective communication was recognized as central to safe, patient-centered healthcare, yet many nurses and physicians reported inadequate training in handling difficult conversations, particularly in multilingual clinical environments where English served as the working language. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies offered immersive, repeatable, and safe platforms for communication skills practice, but their application in language learning for medical purposes remained under-explored. This study designed and evaluated interactive VR/AR-based scenarios for enhancing communication skills in English for Medical Purposes (EMP) among nurses and physicians, focusing on authentic clinical interactions such as history taking, explaining diagnoses, and addressing patient concerns. A mixed-methods design was employed across three phases. In Phase One, a needs analysis identified high-stakes communication scenarios based on clinical literature and stakeholder input. In Phase Two, branching scenario prototypes were developed using immersive VR and AR platforms, integrating principles from situated learning, communicative language teaching, and narrative medicine. In Phase Three, a pilot evaluation was conducted with 40 nursing and medical students randomly assigned to either VR/AR-based communication training or conventional role-play instruction. Outcomes included communication competence, speaking confidence, and technology acceptance, measured through validated pre/post instruments and semi-structured interviews. The study found that VR/AR-mediated scenarios produced greater improvements in clinical communication and language fluency compared to conventional methods, while identifying design features that maximized engagement and minimized cognitive load. These findings informed pedagogical frameworks for immersive EMP instruction and offered practical guidance for integrating digital simulation into healthcare language curricula.