The world of Second Life is AMAZING, challenging and overwhelming at times...
I have been in to view different areas and each time I feel like it is my first time through.
I can imagine the amazing potential that this could bring to a multitude of patients with anxieties and phobia's. As well as those that are wheelchair bound, have physical handicaps, amputations and severe scarring that has an impact on their physical ability.
A concern I have is who would be assisting the new user in creating an account, signing in, building an Avatar and navigating to different areas...would this happen during a face to face meeting with the patient and their physician? Would it be via a web ex or video conference? How would you know if they had the computer capabilities to run the program at home? If not at home then where?
How would the Clinician and patient know when and where to meet?
Would there be a meeting invite to a place that is "safe, calming, relaxing and a haven" for the patient? or would it be an office simulation?
What is the expectation of the patient and clinician for these excursions into Second Life?
I would be concerned about the first couple of visit for a patient as I remember my first attempt to meet up with the class for our lecture and I experienced anxiety/disorientation when I first enter the Second Life world..."How am I going to find where I need to be? Where would I look for the invitation that is waiting for me? Did I get my invitation?How will I know if I am in the right place once I get there?????- and I like to think that I don't have any anxiety issues or that I an out of control....Imagine a patient who has either anxiety or panic attack issues and what they would be experiencing.
I was amazed when I watched the You Tube on Virtual Hallucination tour.
The potential for helping patients and their families with Psychiatric conditions- like Schizophrenia- is amazing and limited only by your imagination.
Using the above example to show a family member what their loved one goes through on a daily basis..how the simplest of things like walking past the mirror or a paper can have devastating impact.
The patient who fears the hospital but needs to have an operation can be taken on a tour of a virtual hospital to "see" what will be happening to them during the admission process, surgery suite and what it looks like.
The potential for the clinician to "train" for upcoming procedures in the virtual ED or OR without the fear of "doing harm".
What type of meaning do you or could you place on the type of Avatar that the patients chooses to design? Age, sex, race, build, what type of clothing and hair color they choose. Is this something that should be notice or taken into account during or before the session begins...how will the ongoing treatment and potential changes to their Avatar be viewed and is it relevant to their care?
What kind of protections would be put in place for the financial well being and safety..yes being on line is a wonderful place to meet people but is it always a safe place? How do you know that the person who starts a conversation with you is someone you should be cautious about sharing your information with.
I think that the potential is amazing, limits are boundless......Security for me is a potential issue.
I have enjoyed my time in Second Life and know that even after this class is over that I will continue to visit .....even if it is just to see what is new.....or to be able to make myself FLY!
