Implementation of virtualized simulation scenarios for the training of terminal psychology students: An innovation project in a pandemic context

Abstract

The SARS-COV2 pandemic forced psychological care to be on-line, however, this way of working is not regularly considered in the training of psychologists. The leveling of skills in psychology students for the development of professional practices in virtualized environments was the challenge addressed by this project. Objective: To develop virtualized simulation scenarios for the training of practical-attitudinal competencies in the context of on-line psychological work. Methodology: From an evaluative design, the degree of skills reached by 704 students from Arica to Puerto Montt was assessed. Results: 5 experts chose the competencies and validated the evaluation instruments (Aiken's V of 0.89), defining 5 online simulation scenarios for teleattention. The level of achievement reached by the students in the skills trained in the scenarios was high, showing differences (p= 0.01) between the sites. Conclusion: the implementation of virtualized simulation is a recommendable methodology, which allows the development of concrete skills for telecare, the challenge remains to improve the standardization of processes to ensure even more homogeneous results.