Virtual Ambulance

Students from St. George's Hospital and the Universities of London and Kingston used the Second Life network project - a three–dimensional virtual world where participants develop their own scenarios – to simulate real situations in which people need the help of paramedics.

So far, five scenarios have been developed, including suspicion of acute heart attack and differential diagnosis of alcohol intoxication and developing diabetic coma. Every week, participating students receive an email link to an episode in Second Life where paramedical care is required. Working in a team, they can assess the condition of a virtual victim by measuring his pulse and blood pressure, taking an ECG and doing rapid blood tests and other tests available in the arsenal of paramedics. After that, they provide assistance on the spot (there are dressing materials, medicines and an oxygen mask in the virtual ambulance) and deliver the patient to the hospital by filling out the accompanying documentation, which is automatically sent by e-mail for evaluation to the real curator.

According to the teacher Ahmed Younis, 90% of the students who worked with the simulator found it very useful for learning and real practice. In addition, learning in a three-dimensional simulator is much more interesting and understandable than reading manuals.

According to Emily Conradi, manager of electronic projects at St. George Hospital, it is planned to create similar virtual simulators for obstetricians, physiotherapists and other medical specialists.