ICU nurses' experiences with virtual reality technology for work-related stress reduction: A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Technology
• Mental Health

Background:

• Intensive Care Units (ICUs) present high-stress environments for nurses.
• Stress among healthcare professionals can impact patient care and staff well-being.
• Virtual Reality (VR) is emerging as a potential tool for stress reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore ICU nurses' experiences with a VR-based stress reduction intervention.
• To identify factors influencing the acceptance and adoption of VR technology in the ICU setting.
• To guide the integration of VR for nurse well-being using the Technology Acceptance Model.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study conducted in a tertiary hospital ICU.
• Purposive sampling of 15 nurses who completed a VR intervention.
• In-depth, semi-structured interviews analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method.

Main Results:

• Nurses perceived VR as useful for stress reduction via relaxation and detachment.
• Barriers included technical issues and difficulty disengaging from patient care.
• Lack of organizational support (time, space, policies) was a critical barrier.
• Nurses showed conditional willingness to adopt VR for respite.
• Recommendations included content diversification, ergonomic improvements, and institutional enablers.

Conclusions:

• VR technology shows potential for alleviating ICU nurse stress.
• Sustainable integration necessitates addressing multifaceted barriers, especially organizational support.
• Systemic approaches including protected time, dedicated spaces, and supportive policies are crucial for VR effectiveness and adoption.