Virtual Path: A Novel Learning Solution for New Hospitals Diana Halfer MSN, RN, NEA-BC Julia Hooper, MS Kim Evans, BA Clinical and Organizational Development Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Chicago, Illinois

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• Replacement children’s hospital project

• Moment One Readiness Orientation and Training Plan

• Virtual Path to the Future

Overview

Moving

A Larger Skyscraper Hospital Current State

• Neighborhood-urban • 600K square feet • 270 beds • Small (125 sf) semi-

private rooms • 36% ICU beds • 17 OR/procedure rooms • 26 bed ED • 131 clinic exam rooms

Future State • Downtown-urban • 1.25M square feet • 288 beds • Large (290 sf) private

rooms • 44% ICU beds • 26 OR/procedure rooms • 45 bed ED on 2nd floor • 178 clinic exam rooms

A multi-year project: 8 years to plan and build

Phase 1 Program Development

’04 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’05 ‘12

Planning & Programming

Site Selection

Phase 2 Program Development

Opening June 9th

2012

Design and Construction

Exterior Design

’09 ’10 ’11

Interior Design

Excavation/ Foundation

Groundbreaking

Steel Frame

Exterior Construction

Interior Construction

Transition Planning

Commitment to Employees & Physicians • Ensure and validate that all employees and

physicians can work safely and effectively to support patient care within Lurie Children’s.

• This means the ability to – Locate, access and use spaces, systems,

equipment and supplies – With no delays, no adverse events and with

minimal assistance in urgent situations – While delivering exceptional service.

Summary of Learning Needs • Navigation and Way

finding • Equipment and Supplies • Safety • Systems and Services • Processes and

Procedures

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Way finding The process by which people, “orient and navigate…to accurately relocate from one place to another in a large scale space.” Gluck (1991)

Way finding Research

4500 hours of annual lost productivity due to poor way finding! Zimring, C., “The Role of the Physical Environment in the Hospital of the 21st Century.” www.rwjf.org/publications/other/RoleofthPhysicalenvironment.pdf.)

PHASE 1 PHASE 2

Virtual Path to the Future

Online Learning

Building & Safety

Orientation

Department & Workflow Orientation

Hands-On Labs

Simulations

Now to June, 2012

January – March, 2012

February – March, 2012

April - May, 2012

April - May, 2012

April - May, 2012

Move in day: June 9, 2012

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Learning Methods

Second Life®

Getting Started in Second Life®

Aug 2007 Concept Introduction to organizational leaders, learning community

Jul 2009 Proposal/Approval: Way finding project for new hospital

Dec 2008 Pilot: Emergency Preparedness inside virtual Children’s Memorial

Jul 2010 Implementation: Virtual Path to the Future education, all Leaders

Sep 2011 Implementation: Virtual Path to the Future education, all Employees and Physicians

Project Cost/Benefit Analysis • Cost – Development 75-90k – Laptops 30k – Project FTEs

• Benefits – Time savings – Improved productivity,

advanced organizer – Organizational

commitment – Decreased stress,

conflicts

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Virtual Path to the Future • Virtual Hospital in Second Life® • Emphasis on way finding

– (public and department spaces) • Virtual labs • Machinima • Custom presentations

Implementation Challenges

• Adopting a “pioneer” mindset – Developing the project team

• Finding good business partners – Beyond a Google Search

• Building virtually in advance of physical build • Scoping the size of the virtual build

– Needs assessment by role • Providing sufficient detail

– Key landmarks – No offices

• Adjusting for aging technology infrastructure

Enhancing the Learning Experience

• Creating customized avatars by role – support diversity

• Consolidating server space for stability – from four islands to one

• Creating a Webpage on Sharepoint – Orientation video clips – Interactive maps and floor plans – Lab schedules and requests

Web Launch Page

Enhancing the Learning Experience

• Creating interest at Town Hall Meetings – Making learning fun – Building excitement for the move

Enhancing the Learning Experience

• Creating a custom viewer – Instant Avatar

selection – Simplified interface – Easy to learn and

move around • Adding the tour guide

application

Tour Guide Application

• Guides users along predefined routes

• Displays information at “points of interest”

• Dynamic web-based tool for creating and customizing tour routes and information

• Tours are defined and configured via website

• None are hardcoded, all are dynamic

Tour Guide Application • Guides users along

predefined routes • Displays information at

“points of interest” • Dynamic web-based tool

for creating and customizing tour routes and information

• Tours are defined and configured via website

• None are hard coded, all are dynamic

Learner Evaluation Data • 4,738 participants • Easily oriented to virtual

environment • Quickly learned navigation

skills • Appreciated preview of

hospital • Some wanted more detail • Identified issues in

preparation for move “For someone who gets stressed by computer games this

was very doable and fun”

Learner Written Comments

• “I am in the new hospital a lot, and this is very close to how it looks!”

• “While it is very silly to do this, it starts to take away the fear of the move.”

• “Really helpful and not as hard as I thought it would be.”

• “Wow, we can use the elevators in the virtual hospital.”

• “I found the exercise difficult and strenuous on my eyes. I also felt dizzy navigating….”

Benefits for Learning Department • Recognized by Senior

Management with Earl J. Fredericks Team Award for innovation

• Fostered innovation and creativity: no template to follow

• Supported talent development through new project roles

Benefits for Learning Department • Gained experience

working with technology consultants

• Provided early building knowledge and planning for Moment One Readiness Orientation

• Impetus for research study

Media Study

• Compares navigation and way finding knowledge for nurses taught via floor plans and Virtual Path to the Future

• Assesses route knowledge, survey knowledge, and direction giving skills after two hours of instruction

Preliminary Trends

• Data analysis in progress

• Small differences between groups – Route

Knowledge – Survey

Knowledge – Direction Giving – Confidence

Preliminary Conclusions • Good instruction trumps medium • Virtual sense of “presence” may boost confidence • Floor Plans tend to help with Survey Knowledge • Direction Giving may be another measure of

Survey Knowledge

Key “Take Aways”

• Begin with Senior Leaders ― vision and sponsorship • Assess the culture ― must be able to support risk taking • Approach project so that it is

synchronous with strategy and mission

• Establish good business partners

• Turn barriers into constraints e.g. access issues

• To adopt new technology is truly “A leap of faith”

Questions?

Contact Information

• Diana Halfer dhalfer@luriechildrens.org • Julia Hooper jhooper@luriechildrens.org • Kim Evans kevans@luriechildrens.org • Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of

Chicago – http://www/luriechildrens.org – 225 East Chicago Avenue, – Chicago, Illinois 60611-2605 – Facebook | Twitter | YouTube