Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD)

Front-line staff learn the seven signs of stroke by experiencing avatars having stroke symptoms in a real-world environment. It then allows clinicians to diagnose and treat stroke victim avatars in real time, either in person or using the VHA Telestroke program with a virtual neurologist.

In early 2023, VHA’s Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD)’s game-based learning module (GBL) called STROKE – Keep the Brain Alive in 45 competed for international recognition and won. This Best Impact Winner award at the 2023 International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) in Orlando, Florida occurred while the module was still in demonstration mode.

Now, the training is ready and widely available for free through VA’s Talent Management System (TMS), VHA TRAIN and the Apple app store where users can search for VHA Stroke: Keep the Brain Alive. There is a short video about the training.

The importance of the win at IMSH is that it is a scientific conference that explores the latest innovations and best practices in health care simulation worldwide. With an international audience at IMSH, the STROKE – Keep the Brain Alive in 45 training module demonstrated how it provides experiential learning for all VHA employees.

Specifically, front-line staff learn the seven signs of stroke by experiencing avatars having stroke symptoms in a real-world environment. It then allows clinicians to diagnose and treat stroke victim avatars in real time, either in person or using the VHA Telestroke program with a virtual neurologist.

This training is open to anyone inside and outside VA. However, for accreditation purposes, the target audiences are physicians and nurses so they may receive ACCME and ANCC credit.

The IMSH win was the second during the last year for VHA’s Institute for Learning, Education and Development, or ILEAD. Its training module, Virtual Reality Simulated Delirium Environment (VRSDE) for Geriatrics and Extended Care training module, came away with both the Innovation and People’s Choice Awards at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) in November 2022. I/ITSEC is the world’s largest modeling, simulation and training event.

For both training modules, learners experience real-world clinical environments in real time. And they will receive continuing medical education credits in a variety of accreditations.

These products are just a few of what ILEAD provides in the way of professional development, education and training tools that give staff what they need to provide Veterans the best care available. To learn more about ILEAD click here for our public site.