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PCS Spark in VR - Physical Examination Tools

A guide to help you with the different physical examination tools and practices during your virtual-reality simulations in Spark

Bálint Székely avatar
Written by Bálint Székely
Updated over a week ago

Once you start a virtual-reality simulation in Spark based on this guide, press down on one of the Thumbsticks to start or stop the physical examination. This will move the patient to the examination table.

Walk up to the table and grab any of the tools from the tray with the Grip button. Be mindful of objects/obstacles in your room!

Note: You will find a short video summarizing the steps detailed after most sections. Play them to get a better idea of how your experience will look like.

Otoscope

Grab the Otoscope from the table and move it to one of the ears or the nose of your patient. You will feel if it is in the right area as the controller will vibrate, then press the Trigger to get the results:

Stethoscope

Grab the Stethoscope from the table and listen to your patient's heart, lung, and bowel sounds. Simply put the head of the Stethoscope to the right area to start listening:

Ophthalmoscope

Grab the Ophthalmoscope from the table and move it over the patient's eyes. You will feel if it is in the right location as the controller will vibrate, then press the Trigger to get the results:

Thermometer

Grab the Thermometer from the table and point it to the body of the patient. Press the Trigger and after three seconds the device (and a pop-up log message) will indicate the result with a beep sound:

Magnifier

Grab the Magnifier from the table and move it to the patient's mouth or skin. You will feel if it is in the right area as the controller will vibrate, then press the Trigger to get the results:

Blood Pressure Measurements

By Korotkoff Sounds

Grab the Sphygmomanometer from the table and move it to the left arm of the patient around this area:

The Sphygmomanometer will detect if it has been moved to the correct location and it will be attached to the arm automatically. Grab the Stethoscope with your left hand.

Here's how to do a blood pressure measurement by Korotkoff sounds. Follow the steps one by one after each other at a moderate pace:

  • Inflate the cuff by repeatedly pressing the Trigger to around 160mmHg,

  • Place the Stethoscope on the brachial artery on the arm with the cuff,

  • Slowly deflate the cuff. You will start hearing the Korotkoff sounds just under the systolic value of your patient,

  • The Korotkoff sound stops when the cuff pressure goes under the diastolic value.

When the cuff is fully deflated, a log entry is created saying "Blood pressure measured successfully by Korotkoff sounds."

Here is a video of the process during the VR simulation:

By Radial Pulse Palpation

Grab the Sphygmomanometer from the table and move it to the left arm of the patient around this area:

The Sphygmomanometer will detect if it has been moved to the correct location and it will be attached to the arm automatically.

Here's how to do a blood pressure measurement by radial pulse palpation. Follow the steps one by one after each other at a moderate pace:

  • Palpate the radial pulse on the arm with the cuff while pushing the Grip button:

  • Inflate the cuff by repeatedly pressing the Trigger to around 160mmHg - you shouldn’t feel the pulse at all anymore,

  • Let the cuff deflate slowly. You will start sensing the pulse again when the cuff pressure reaches the systolic value of the patient.

When the cuff is fully deflated, a log entry is created saying "Blood pressure measured successfully by radial pulse palpation".

Here is a video of the process during the VR simulation:

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