Introduction to Virtual Reality in Healthcare
Virtual reality is a growing trend in healthcare, with researchers exploring its potential to cut back stress, pain, and anxiety in patients. A recent study published within the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing found that a 12-minute virtual reality session during chemotherapy reduced heart rate, stress, and pain in patients compared to plain care.
The Study
The study involved 90 adults who received chemotherapy at an outpatient infusion clinic. Participants were randomly assigned to either standard care or a 12-minute virtual reality session during chemotherapy infusion. The virtual reality session guided patients on narrated "tours" of popular travel destinations, including the Taj Mahal, the Amazon, and the canals of Venice. The researchers evaluated the patients’ stress, pain, and affect levels before and after the intervention, in addition to their satisfaction with the experience.
Key Findings
The results showed statistically significant reductions in stress and pain within the intervention group, with estimated adjusted mean differences of -1.5 points for stress and -0.7 points for pain. The adjusted mean difference for positive affect was 3.5 points higher within the intervention group, while the estimated mean difference for negative affect was 4.9 points lower. Additionally, participants within the intervention group demonstrated significantly reduced post-evaluation heart rate.
Patient Satisfaction
Most patients within the intervention group reported high satisfaction with the experience, with over half reporting a rating of 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale. The majority of patients also reported no cybersickness, with only 4 patients reporting a rating of three to six on the 20-point Fast Motion Sickness Scale.
The Potential of Virtual Reality
According to Cody C. Stansel, MSN, RN, NE-BC, administrative director of nursing at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, virtual reality has the potential to make a positive impact on patients’ experiences during chemotherapy. "Virtual reality is something of a ‘hot topic’ in healthcare right away," Stansel said. "Much of the research is it from an academic perspective, but there’s a lot utility for virtual reality as a patient intervention."
How it Works
The virtual reality experience utilized in the study aimed to create a sense of immersion, with patients feeling like they were being "teleported" to different locations. Stansel believes that the diversionary aspect of the experience played a task in reducing stress and pain. "Virtual technology has gotten so good and is so immersive that patients feel like they have been transported to a distinct place," he said.
Future Research
Future studies could help determine which forms of virtual reality interventions provide optimal results. Stansel suggests that researchers could explore the usage of specific forms of media, akin to nature scenes or calming environments, to see in the event that they have a greater impact on patients’ experiences.
Conclusion
The study’s findings suggest that virtual reality has the potential to cut back stress, pain, and anxiety in patients undergoing chemotherapy. With its immersive and interesting experience, virtual reality could possibly be a invaluable tool for healthcare providers to enhance patient outcomes. As Stansel noted, "I’d love to spotlight our student volunteers, who did a number of work for us and helped make this study successful. It also shows that you may provide these sorts of interventions to your patients without spending a gazillion dollars, or tying up provider resources to make it occur."
