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Photo: Public Domain
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ICU nurses experience 40 percent less stress if they wear VR glasses for 10 minutes during their shift. This is the conclusion of research by researcher Catheleine van Driel of the UMCG.
During the corona pandemic, the pressure on nurses was great. To do something about this, ICU nurses in the UMCG could use virtual reality relaxation (VRelax). Previous research has shown that the use of VRelax in people with depression, anxiety, bipolar or psychotic disorders can improve negative moods.
The app consists of dozens of relaxing and interactive nature environments. From swimming with dolphins and relaxing on the beach or in the forest to participating in a singing bowl session. ‘With VRelax, we hoped to be able to create a moment of rest for ICU nurses during work,’ says researcher Mathijs Nijland. ‘Our research now shows that it works: two in five nurses immediately experience less stress due to VRelax.’ User reactions were: “It’s like getting away from it all on vacation” and “it puts you back in your power”.
Workload
Nurses were able to use the VR glasses in a special relaxation room during their shift, with the advice to do this for at least 10 minutes. Despite the workload, more than a quarter of all ICU nurses have used VR glasses at least once.
A major obstacle to use was the high workload during shifts, which sometimes meant that ICU nurses could not find the time to take a short break.
‘With the results of this research, we hope to give a boost to the wider deployment of initiatives such as VRelax in healthcare. Patients and colleagues can benefit from this,’ says researcher Catheleine van Driel.
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