How VR could help bring more paramedics to Sask.
In an effort to reach more prospective candidates, the Saskatchewan College of Paramedics (SCoP) announced a partnership with Luxsonic Technologies to use virtual reality technology to assess the skills of paramedics abroad looking to Saskatchewan for employment.
“One of our imminent challenges is that we have a higher vacancy rate than we have available paramedics in this province,” said Jacquie Messer-Lepage, executive director of SCoP. “Especially in rural and remote communities, the issue of recruitment and retention is challenging for them.”
This month SCoP received $800,000 in funding from Employment and Social Development Canada for a project that uses virtual reality to assess skills of internationally educated applicants seeking to come to Saskatchewan. The VR technology allows SCoP to run applicants through virtual scenarios, testing their competency and skills from afar, rather than in-person.
“They might be coming across a patient in a parking lot and they go over and they have to do a sternum rub,” Messer-Lepage said. “At certain points in the scenario they may be asked certain questions as well, ‘what do you believe your prelim diagnosis is, how do you proceed from here?’”
With the additional support of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, the overarching objective of the Virtual Assessment for Paramedic Occupational Competency (VAPOC) project is to develop web-based immersive technology tools.
Luxsonic Technologies Inc., in Saskatoon was awarded the contract and will now work with SCoP to develop the virtual reality scenarios over the next 30 months before the virtual recruitment tool is launched.
“We’re very excited to be working with SCoP on this innovative project. Remote assessment of hands-on clinical skills is a very challenging problem, one that isn’t easily solved using traditional technology,” said Mike Wesolowski, CEO of Luxsonic Technologies in a news release. “VAPOC will be the first of its kind VR-based occupational competency assessment and we look forward to seeing it used by paramedic regulators across Canada.”
Thus far an intubation scenario is nearing completion, and Messer-Lepage hopes to have a wide variety of scenarios ready in 30 months to test and recruit paramedics to Saskatchewan.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca