How do you use a hypodermic needle to vaccinate? More and more nurses are now practicing this treatment with the 3D simulation game CareUp. This is a new app that mimics nursing procedures in home care, nursing homes, hospitals and schools. CareUp also offers the solution for large-scale vaccination against the coronavirus. Pilots have a flight simulator, nurses and other care workers now use CareUp.

Measuring blood glucose levels. Administering medication through an IV. Changing a stoma bag. And – now very topical – the use of a hypodermic needle. These are all nursing procedures that every nurse and caregiver has learned to do. But it is also practical knowledge that you have to keep up with, which you have to keep doing regularly to remain competent.

The 3D simulation game

“Suppose it has been a year since you had to insert a catheter. Then there is a good chance that you no longer know the protocol completely and you would like to practice this action again. This is now possible with CareUp, the 3D simulation game that allows healthcare professionals to simulate the most common nursing procedures themselves.” So says Jos van Leeuwen, director and innovator of Medical Group, the company that had CareUp developed. He previously heard about the problems surrounding keeping healthcare professionals competent and competent. For example, CareUp was set up as an innovation project in which Van Leeuwen’s knowledge as a former nurse came in handy.

Perform actions virtually

The app is like a flight simulator and mimics real-life practice. So users don’t just watch an instructional video, they get to work with the action themselves virtually. “With your finger, you move your character on the screen and perform the actions in the protocol one by one. In between, there are pop-ups with theory. This combination means that after about 10 to 15 minutes of practice, a healthcare professional knows exactly how to perform the action,” says Van Leeuwen. CareUp now counts 23 common actions in hospital, home care and intramural care. More will be added soon. All these actions are based on the Vilans KICK protocols, the national knowledge organization for long-term care. They are also accredited by the V&VN. They therefore fit in seamlessly with the everyday practice of healthcare professionals.

Virtual game replaces skills lab

Hundreds of nurses will have to work with a hypodermic needle in the coming weeks and months. Something many of them don’t do on a daily basis. By first imitating this action in a 3D simulation game, they brush up on their knowledge quickly and easily. “Until recently, nurses and caregivers had to rely on physical skills labs for this, where they had to practice on a doll in a class. CareUp makes this much easier by simulating the exercises in a serious game,” says Van Leeuwen.

Accreditation points in the BIG register

In this way, healthcare professionals are constantly working on their competence. And if they have successfully completed an action, they receive a certificate. The accreditation points they earn are added to the BIG register every week, so that a nurse or caregiver remains qualified. CareUp has only been live for a few months and already has more than 8,000 users. Mostly healthcare professionals, but also students who use the app in preparation for practical lessons.