Stress, Stress (Psychology)
Conditions
Keywords
VR, Virtual Reality, Stress, Resilience, Healthcare professionals, healthcare workers, nurses, hospital, surgical ward
Brief summary
The goal of this feasibility study is to learn whether a VR intervention is feasible, acceptable, and satisfactory for healthcare workers in surgical wards to help mitigate stress. Secondary objectives include assessing its potential contribution to stress reduction, user comfort, and practical integration into daily workflows. Participants will take part in a single 10-minute VR intervention session.
Detailed description
This study investigates the use of the HealthyMind Virtual Reality (VR) application as an innovative intervention to reduce stress among healthcare workers in surgical departments. Although workplace stress is common, there is currently a lack of structured interventions to address it. The VR application provides healthcare professionals with the opportunity to relax through immersive, calming three-dimensional environments, such as a sunset by the sea or a mountain landscape. The VR headset is paired with an armband that non-invasively measures physiological parameters, including heart rate and heart rate variability. Based on these data, the VR environment automatically adapts to the user's stress level, for example by introducing a guided breathing exercise. The intervention can be used at any self-selected moment during a shift, with the aim of offering a short and effective recovery break. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and user satisfaction of the VR intervention among healthcare workers. Secondary objectives include assessing its potential contribution to stress reduction, user comfort, and practical integration into daily workflows.
Interventions
Virtual Realtiy intervention with biofeedback for 10 minutes during a shift on the ward for healthcare professionals
Sponsors
European Union (Horizon Europe Programme)
Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Volunteering healthcare professionals (≥18 years old) working in direct patient care, such as nurses, residents, physician assistants, and surgeons, on the surgical ward.
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosed with epilepsy * Experienced VR as a trigger for their migraines * Severe dizziness, nausea or physical disabilities will be excluded. * Diagnosed with arrythmias, bradycardia or tachycardia * Not able to wear the VR headset due to physical or psychological conditions
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AIM-IAM-FIM • Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), • Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM), • Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) | Immediately after the VR intervention the scale will be filled in by the participant | Each subscale comprises four elements ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree) |
| User satisfaction | Immediately after the VR intervention | NRS score ranging from 0 (not satisfied) to 10 (very satisfied) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stress level | immediately before the intervention (pre-intervention) and immediately after the intervention (post-intervention) | NRS score ranging from 0 (not satisfied) to 10 (very satisfied) |
| CSQ-VR | immediately after the VR intervention | Assessing user comfort with the CyberSickness in Virtual Reality Questionnaire (CSQ-VR). With a likert scale ranging from 1 = absent feeling to 7 = extreme feeling. with higher scores indicating more discomfort |
| Best organizational fit | At a scheduled moment within 1 month after the intervention | Using a qualitative semi-structured follow-up interview after completing the experience in five participants per center. |
Countries
Denmark, Germany
Contacts
Primary ContactSophie Q Vermeulen, MD
Outcome results
None listed