Dr. Hoffman\u2019s research team at the University of Washington was the first to use VR to help patients cope with pain during burn wound care. Their promising results spearheaded the next two decades of VR research to help patients, including children, manage pain and anxiety related to various medical procedures. So, in the efforts of bringing VR to children receiving care at the Shriners Hospitals for Children\u00ae-Canada, Sylvie Le May and Argerie Tsimicalis\u2019s interprofessional research team conducted an integrative literature review to synthesize the scientific evidence on the use of VR to alleviate pain and anxiety during care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research team searched four electronic databases to identify studies that examined the ability of VR distraction to reduce pain and\/or anxiety during medical procedures received by children. The identified articles were evaluated for quality and then the key data, including the VR software and hardware used, the medical procedure, and the effect of VR on pain and\/or anxiety, were extracted into a table for descriptive analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The search identified 77 studies published globally between 2000 and October 2021 that evaluated the ability of VR to help 2,174 children aged between 6 months and 18 years cope with procedural pain and\/or anxiety during burn wound care, post-burn physiotherapy, dental, needle-related, and other medical procedures. Overall, studies showed that VR can help reduce pain and anxiety during a wide range of procedures. However, more research is needed to examine the benefits of VR in children with chronic orthopedic conditions that undergo repeated painful and anxiety-inducing procedures as part of their long-term care, including pin removals and anesthesia induction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Virtual reality, a powerful distraction, is redefining pain management by immersing children in an imaginary world that feels real, reducing the experience of pain and anxiety. Nurses will continue to be at the forefront of innovation as they will play a key role in ensuring the smooth integration of VR in clinical practice, continuously improving patient care and children\u2019s experiences at the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n