Not to sure about all the aerodynamics but I am sure that if you have much low level experience its hard to confuse SWP and VRS.
Pre R22 govenor days it was not unusual to encounter SWP when low level hot and heavy so much so that it was standard (in Oz) to teach students to milk the Col and throttle to restor RRPM
My experience is that SWP will involve reducing RRPM and increasing everything else, whereas VRS will have increasing everything else (apart from IAS) and RRPM OK
Also in my experience it is very easy to induce VRS in light ac with light AUW. Just gain some Alt lose your IAS turn down wind initiate a rate of descent and pull some pwr then watch the ROD go off the clock.
Of course in real life we should know when we are potentially at risk and be ready to correct if we feel the onset of VRS, prior to it becoming fully developed.
I would hope this is still being covered in basic training
No idea about the heavies most of you seem to fly
Cheers