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Effectiveness of virtual reality for pediatric pain distraction during i.v. placement
Jeffrey I Gold1, Seok Hyeon Kim, Alexis J Kant
1Clinical Anesthesiology & Pediatrics, USC Keck School of Medicine, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027-6062, USA. jgold@chla.usc.edu
Insights
Virtual reality (VR) effectively reduced pain and anxiety during pediatric IV placement. This VR pain distraction tool showed high satisfaction among children, parents, and nurses, proving its suitability for medical interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Virtual Reality Applications
- Medical Intervention Efficacy
Background:
- Intravenous (IV) placement is a common yet painful procedure for children.
- Effective pain distraction methods are crucial for improving pediatric patient experience.
- Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive potential for pain management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) as a pain distraction method for pediatric IV placement.
- To assess the suitability of VR for reducing pain and anxiety during medical procedures.
- To compare VR distraction with standard care (topical anesthetic) for IV insertion.
Main Methods:
- Twenty children undergoing IV placement for MRI/CT scans were randomized into VR distraction or standard care groups.
- The VR group used 'Street Luge' via a head-mounted display.
- Self-report questionnaires assessed pain, anxiety, and satisfaction from children, parents, and nurses.
Main Results:
- The VR group experienced significantly less affective pain compared to the control group.
- No significant differences in pain were found within the VR group during the procedure.
- High levels of presence, no simulator sickness, and increased satisfaction were reported in the VR group.
Conclusions:
- Virtual reality (VR) using 'Street Luge' is an effective and suitable pain distraction tool for pediatric IV placement.
- VR positively impacted child, parent, and nurse-reported satisfaction with pain management.
- Further research with larger samples and diverse procedures is recommended to broaden VR's application in pediatric care.
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to test the efficacy and suitability of virtual reality (VR) as a pain distraction for pediatric intravenous (i.v.) placement. Twenty children (12 boys, 8 girls) requiring i.v. placement for a magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography (MRI/CT) scan were randomly assigned to two conditions: (1) VR distraction using Street Luge (5DT), presented via a head-mounted display, or (2) standard of care (topical anesthetic) with no distraction. Children, their parents, and nurses completed self-report questionnaires that assessed numerous health-related outcomes. Responses from the Faces Pain Scale-Revised indicated a fourfold increase in affective pain within the control condition; by contrast, no significant differences were detected within the VR condition. Significant associations between multiple measures of anticipatory anxiety, affective pain, i.v. pain intensity, and measures of past procedural pain provided support for the complex interplay of a multimodal assessment of pain perception. There was also a sufficient amount of evidence supporting the efficacy of Street Luge as a pediatric pain distraction tool during i.v. placement: an adequate level of presence, no simulator sickness, and significantly more child-, parent-, and nurse-reported satisfaction with pain management. VR pain distraction was positively endorsed by all reporters and is a promising tool for decreasing pain, and anxiety in children undergoing acute medical interventions. However, further research with larger sample sizes and other routine medical procedures is warranted.
