Healthcare Professionals' Perceptions of Pre-, Peri-, and Postoperative Virtual Reality Immersion in Elderly Patients.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: There is a lack of research examining healthcare professionals' perspectives regarding the potential of non-pharmacological solutions such as immersive virtual reality (VR). The aim of this study was to investigate opportunities and challenges related to the application of immersive virtual reality (VR) technology in patients aged 65 and older undergoing surgery with regional anesthesia and sedation. Method: A qualitative, multicenter study was conducted in the spring of 2024, involving semi-structured interviews with 17 healthcare professionals. Result: A qualitative content analysis of the interviews identified the main theme "Healthcare professionals' openness to opportunities for this technology for elderly patients", with the subthemes and themes "elderly patients", which included the participants' attitudes towards elderly patients; "virtual reality", which concerned opportunities, barriers, and risks; and "sustainable healthcare", which comprised the participants' thoughts about its impact on sustainable development. Conclusions: The participants suggested potential areas of use for VR during the perioperative period but also identified limitations and risks. They suggested VR was likely to have a positive impact on sustainable healthcare, as well as economic advantages. For its successful implementation, the equipment must be safe. There also needs to be a clear division of responsibilities for it to be functional and suitable for its users. Strategies such as nudging can be used to facilitate its implementation.