UI design, challenges and limitations of VR healthcare applications: VR kidney peritoneal dialysis training case study

This paper presents a Virtual Reality (VR) Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) training system designed to support patients, family carers, and renal nurses in acquiring and consolidating home dialysis competencies. Developed through a co-design process spanning current hospital facilities, charities, and academic research, the system enables active, embodied procedural learning in a safe, repeatable digital environment. The photorealistic simulation replicates the PD cycler and clinical setting with high fidelity, incorporating authentic audio, haptic feedback, and guided instruction. Evaluation with nineteen users demonstrated strong acceptability and clinical realism. Findings highlight usability challenges around controller familiarity and interaction design, informing future iterations. Results support VR as a scalable complement to traditional PD training.