Role of Virtual Reality to Promote Mobilization in the Critical Care Setting: A Narrative Review

Virtual reality is an emerging technology that can be used as an early complementary intervention to promote early mobilization for critically ill patients. This narrative review examines early mobilization outcomes of virtual reality intervention for patients in the intensive care unit and pediatric critical care unit. Comprehensive medical databases were searched for publications detailing the application of virtual reality interventions in association with critical care. In total, seven studies were screened and selected for the review. Various virtual reality programs help promote early mobilization by using movement-based programs and virtual environments to encourage increased activity and heightened diversity of movements. Furthermore, virtual reality can enhance engagement and enjoyment for therapies and rehabilitation. The emergence of virtual reality modalities shows increased mobility, motivation, and treatment satisfaction among critically ill patients. However, the limited data available, vulnerability of the patient population, safety concerns, and need for more controlled studies emphasize the importance of continued research and cautious implementation of virtual reality interventions in critical care settings.