Virtual Reality to Reduce the Anxiety in Critically Ill Patient

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, TOULOUSE · Dec 20, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how virtual reality (VR) can help reduce anxiety in patients who are critically ill and staying in the intensive care unit (ICU). Many patients in the ICU experience anxiety due to medical procedures and treatments, which can lead to long-term issues like post-traumatic stress disorder. The goal of this trial is to see if using VR, which immerses patients in a calming 360-degree environment, can help ease their anxiety and improve their overall experience in the ICU.

To participate in the trial, patients must be adults who are conscious and able to give consent. They should be hospitalized in the ICU for more than 24 hours and can be either on a ventilator or breathing on their own. However, patients who have certain conditions, like severe psychiatric issues or difficulties with vision or hearing, may not be eligible. If patients join the study, they can expect to use a VR headset that will provide them with a soothing experience designed to help them relax during their stay in the hospital. This innovative approach aims to make a positive difference in how patients cope with their time in the ICU.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adult patient
• • Oral consent after free and informed information
• • Hospitalized in the multipurpose intensive care unit of Rangueil hospital with an estimated length of stay greater than 24 hours
• • Conscious (Glasgow Coma Scale \> 8) and Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) sedation score between -1 and +1
• • Mechanically ventilated or not
• • Person affiliated to or beneficiary of a social security system.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patient under legal protection (guardianship or curatorship)
• • RASS \< -1 or \> +1
• • Visual or hearing difficulties preventing the use of the VR headset
• • Severe psychiatric history (severe depression, psychosis, bipolarity), advanced dementia or mental retardation
• • Hemodynamic (Norepinephrine support \> 0.5 gamma/kg/min) and/or respiratory instability (invasive mechanical ventilation with FiO2 greater than 80%)
• • Presence of a malformation or cervical or facial trauma that does not allow the application of the VR headset
• • Pregnancy or breastfeeding