Virtual Reality as a Supportive Technology for Pediatric Intravenous Procedures: Effects on Fear and Autonomic...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Medical Technology
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Intravenous (IV) procedures in children often cause significant fear and discomfort.
• This distress can complicate procedure performance and patient experience.
• Supportive technologies are needed to mitigate fear during pediatric IV procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) as a supportive technology during pediatric IV procedures.
• To assess the impact of VR on children's fear and pain perception.
• To evaluate physiological responses, including autonomic nervous system activity, during IV procedures with VR.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, parallel-group study involving 50 children undergoing IV procedures.
• Participants were allocated to either a virtual reality group or a standard care comparison group.
• Fear and pain were measured via self-report; physiological data included heart rate variability, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Main Results:

• Children in the VR group reported significantly lower levels of fear compared to the control group.
• No significant differences in pain scores were observed between the VR and comparison groups.
• The VR group exhibited altered heart rate variability indices, indicating a less dominant sympathetic autonomic response, correlating with reduced fear.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality demonstrates potential as an effective supportive technology for reducing fear in children during IV procedures.
• VR may offer clinical benefits in pediatric nursing by improving patient comfort and cooperation.
• Further research into VR's psychophysiological effects can optimize its application in healthcare settings.