Maximising cardiac rehabilitation through effective virtual simulation teaching of smoke cessation interventions: The INSTrUCT European Project

Abstract

Objectives: To develop innovative educational programs for teaching healthcare students, offering creative and robust solutions in the rehabilitation of cardiac patients through smoke cessation interventions, with an international perspective.

Background: Continued smoking after a cardiac event greatly increases mortality risk. Smoking cessation in cardiac rehabilitation are known to be effective in reducing morbidity and mortality. Despite this, health care professionals have been found to be inadequately educated in this field. New technologies, like virtual simulation, provide innovative and promising ways to address this issue through the delivery of health education programmes, beyond physical healthcare.

Method: The INSTrUCT Project is an evidence-based program, which focuses on teaching smoking cessation interventions in cardiac rehabilitation for healthcare students. It is an international European consortium, which develops and evaluates educational materials in public health and tobacco control, providing nursing/healthcare virtual simulation in relation to smoking cessation. INSTrUCT has overseen the development of an Open Educational Resource (INSTRUCT - OER), incorporating virtual simulation, it provides a way to improve healthcare students’ competences, ultimately translated into tailored and efficient smoking cessation interventions in cardiac rehabilitation.

Results: In the 2020-2021 academic year, one thousand students from four countries (Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal) tested this innovative educational resource, mainly in the degree of nursing and medicine. Preliminary findings reveal that the satisfaction levels of the students has been very high, positively valuing the videos and the virtual simulation that have allowed them to carry out virtual clinical practice, despite the COVID-19 context.

Conclusion: We strongly argue that INSTRUCT - OER could inspire further collaboration between international institutions, beyond the European context. Advances in technology and e-collaboration, can provide ways for working directly with international and multifaceted teams, enhancing the possibilities of identifying innovative options to deliver robust health educational programs. Working with this international vision, helps us to adapt to different scenarios across several countries, opening a window to establish new collaborative opportunities across Asia.