The Effects of Virtual Reality Applications on Perceived Stress, Anxiety and Fatigue Among Nurses Working in the...

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses experience high levels of stress, anxiety and fatigue. Conventional coping strategies are often difficult to implement during busy shifts. Virtual reality (VR) may offer a practical, non-pharmacological alternative; however, evidence of its effectiveness in ICU nurses remains limited.

This study aimed to determine the effects of a VR application on perceived stress, state anxiety and fatigue among ICU nurses.

This parallel-group randomised controlled trial was conducted between June and December 2025 in the adult ICUs of a public hospital in eastern Turkey. Nurses were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which used a VR application during work breaks, or to a control group, which had standard rest periods. Data were collected before and after the intervention using the Demographic Information Form, the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Form (STAI-S) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS).

A total of 60 nurses completed the study (intervention = 30, control = 30). At baseline, there were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups on any outcome measure (all p > 0.05). From pre-test to post-test, the intervention group showed marked reductions in perceived stress, state anxiety and fatigue, whereas the control group remained essentially unchanged. Post-intervention between-group differences were statistically significant for perceived stress (t = -5.326), state anxiety (t = -4.814) and fatigue (t = -13.587) (all p < 0.001). Two-way mixed ANOVA revealed significant group × time interactions for perceived stress (F = 13.525, p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.189), state anxiety (F = 14.072, p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.195) and fatigue (F = 91.192, p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.611).

The VR application was associated with lower levels of perceived stress, state anxiety and fatigue among ICU nurses compared with standard rest periods. However, because the study was conducted in a single hospital and the follow-up period was short, the findings should be interpreted with caution.

Short VR sessions during work breaks may help reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue, supporting ICU nurses' well-being and resilience.