OLYMPIA – The Department of Social and Health Services is using the latest in state-of-the-art technology to enhance its efforts around safety and patient empathy at its oldest and largest 24/7 facility – Western State Hospital.
To create the five-part virtual reality training, the agency used funding provided by the state Legislature and Governor Jay Inslee for safety and training investments. On the first day of orientation, new employees put on a high-resolution virtual reality headset and immerse themselves, with a 360-degree view, in a person’s life who is living with a mental illness. This person-centered learning approach is designed for staff to better understand how patients might be feeling and what they are going through.
“This is cutting-edge technology with proven results and it is just one of the ways we are headed towards a transformation of mental health care in our state,” said Cheryl Strange, Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services. “We know that just how you say ’no’ to someone experiencing symptoms of mental illness, for example, can make the difference between a good interaction with a patient and violent episode.”
Part of Western’s New Employee Orientation, the training introduces staff to Lena, a single mom and a musician who is living with schizophrenia. Due to her disorienting illness, she makes a terrible mistake. The trainees go with her on her journey through the legal system and eventual admittance to Western.
Lena’s story was informed and developed by real former and current patients and seasoned staff from both Western and Eastern State Hospital.
Dr. Jordan Charboneau, a forensic psychologist at Western, advised the cast and crew with nuanced progression of symptoms and treatment. “It’s often the case that I hear about from patients that it’s very difficult differentiating what’s real and what’s not real. It is the patient’s reality, but it might not match what’s going on around them. And that can be a terribly confusing and frustrating experience,” Charboneau said.
The decision to invest in virtual reality training was heavily influenced and inspired by research pointing to virtual reality as a strong tool to affect and deepen people’s level of empathy. A 2018 Stanford study simulating the experience of becoming homeless found VR to be more effective in developing long-lasting compassion than other types of media.
Since 2019, violence at Western has been reduced by 15% with safety initiatives such as the opening of the STAR Ward, which allows for specialized treatment for the 10 most violent patients at Western, and Advanced Crisis Intervention Training that is mandatory for all employees at Western.
“Safety is our number one priority,” added Sean Murphy, Assistant Secretary for DSHS’ Behavioral Health Administration. “Making sure our staff are equipped with all the necessary tools they need to be successful in their jobs means that patient care along with safety will improve.”
Lena’s story in VR compliments a two-week course that embeds verbal de-escalation techniques, understanding mental illness and person-centered care approaches. Western Instructional Safety Administrator James Ortega helps new staff understand the importance of supporting themselves and patients stay in balance.
“The emphasis is to help ourselves self-regulate so that we don’t let adrenaline and fear get the best of us in the process of supporting a patient in crisis,” Ortega said.
The training has been underway for over a month and is getting great initial reviews from staff. Terry Stevenson, a registered nurse who recently took the training, said VR was intense and gave a strong feeling of how Lena is suffering.
“I’ve heard people say they hear voices,” Stevenson said. “But I’ve never seen something make it more real. I think this will help me more when I’m talking to somebody and they’re not responding. It makes it more real.”
Patients have also noticed a difference. One patient, who is not being named to protect their privacy, said of the entire new employee training experience staff receive before working on the wards: “It’s been phenomenal. It’s changed peoples’ demeanor and the way they handle things. They handle patients with more care.”
For more information about the VR project, please see visit the DSHS website.
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