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Immersive Virtual Reality Use in Medical Intensive Care: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study.
Brian W Locke1,2, Te-Yi Tsai3, C Mahony Reategui-Rivera3
1Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
JMIR Serious Games
|July 24, 2024
Summary
Immersive virtual reality (VR) shows high patient acceptance in intensive care, improving mood, anxiety, and pain. This therapy offers potential benefits for critically ill patients with minimal technical issues.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Virtual Reality Applications
- Patient Experience
Background:
- Immersive virtual reality (VR) is a potential therapy for critical illness to improve patient experience and prevent post-discharge functional decline.
- Existing literature shows variable reports on VR uptake and its determinants in clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the acceptability and potential utility of immersive VR in critically ill patients.
- To conduct a mixed-methods feasibility study at a single institution.
Main Methods:
- Adult patients without delirium in intensive care units (ICUs) received 5-15 minutes of immersive VR.
- Assessed patient vital signs, heart rate variability, mood, and pain before and after VR.
- Utilized paired t-tests for pre-post comparisons and thematic analysis for qualitative interview data.
Main Results:
- 20 out of 35 (57%) patients participated, with no age-related difference in acceptance.
- Significant improvements observed in mood (P=.002), anxiety (P=.001), and pain (P=.003).
- VR use led to a decrease in heart rate (P=.008) and stress index (P=.004), with no adverse effects reported.
Conclusions:
- High patient acceptance of immersive VR was noted in a medical ICU population with limited prior VR exposure.
- Patients reported VR's potential to alleviate cognitive and emotional symptoms like pain and anxiety.
- Commercial VR headsets can be integrated into ICU workflows to further evaluate VR efficacy.
