Evaluating Pharmacy Students’ Teamwork Attitudes in Virtual COVID-19 Emergency Department Simulations: A Pilot Study

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study explores the impact of virtual simulation training on the transformation of teamwork attitudes among pharmacy students in a simulated severe COVID-19 pneumonia scenario in the emergency department. MethodsFrom July 2022 to January 2023, 16 pharmacy students, along with other health care students, participated in interprofessional simulation rounds. Each pharmacy student was assigned specific days for participation, using either a 3-dimensional computer or a virtual reality headset to manage a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia in the virtual emergency department. The TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ) was used for pre- and post-training assessments. ResultsThe mean baseline T-TAQ score was 119.44 ± 10.63, showing a significant post-training improvement to a mean score of 130.88 ± 8.98 (Hedges’ g = 1.52). Stratification by academic year and device type revealed no significant impact on the learning experience. Remarkable enhancements in teamwork attitudes were observed after training, specifically in team structure, situation monitoring, mutual support, and communication domains. ConclusionThese findings indicate that virtual simulation training in scenarios such as severe COVID-19 effectively augments teamwork attitudes among pharmacy students, preparing them for collaborative practice in high-stakes emergency medicine settings.