Virtual reality as a tool to promote healthcare providers wellbeing in pediatric palliative care.

Abstract

Background: The pediatric palliative care (PPC) team's mission is to assist and promote the highest quality of life for children with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses and their families. The whole care of these patients implies sometimes challenging clinical and emotional situations. PPC providers may be exposed to psychological distress.

Aims: The study's objectives were to evaluate the psychological well-being of healthcare providers working in the Regional Center for Palliative Care and Pediatric Pain Therapy, including their stress levels, levels of depression, anxiety, and risk of burnout, and to determine whether practicing mindfulness through virtual reality can improve these items.

Methods: The mindfulness intervention was delivered twice a week for four weeks in this prospective, non-randomized clinical study. Each participant received a 10-minute mindfulness-related session in 3-D virtual reality, for a total of eight exposures. Measures of emotional depression, anxiety, stress, and risk of burnout were assessed using the DASS-21 and Mini-Z questionnaires. Participants' respiratory and heart rate were also monitored throughout each session. The treatment was evaluated using the DASS-21 at each timepoint, the Mini-Z at T0 and T3, and vital parameters at T1, T2, and T3 (T0 before the treatment, T1 at the end of the first week, T2 at the end of the second week, and T3 after completion of the last week's treatment).

Results: Pediatricians, nurses, allied healthcare professionals, and pediatric residents made up the 27 PPC healthcare practitioners enrolled. The median age was 47 years (IQR 36-50), and 85% of the participants were female. At the time of recruitment (T0), around 25% of individuals (n = 7; 25.93%) acknowledged a risk of burnout. Between T0 and T3, there was a significant shift in the DASS-21 scores for depression, anxiety, and stress (p <.05), indicating an improvement in the overall scores. The study of vital signs revealed that over the weeks, the heart and breathing rates had significantly decreased. It has also been demonstrated that the candidate's mood significantly improved at T3 compared to the study's beginning.

Relevance to clinical practice: According to the current research, using virtual reality in a PPC team is a potential technology that may be helpful in lowering stress levels and the risk of burnout, resulting in significant improvements in the well-being of the healthcare personnel.