Feelings and emotions in the Pediatric ICU: The impact of using Virtual Reality

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1594552414064

• Palavras-chave: Pediatric Intensive Care, Virtual Reality, Physiotherapy; Technologic innovation

• Keywords: Pediatric Intensive Care, Virtual Reality, Physiotherapy; Technologic innovation

• Abstract:

  Hospitalized children tend to become bored due to being restricted to bed, therefore, physiotherapy has been using virtual reality to provide an individualized experience, with emotional, physical and cognitive benefits. This study aims to analyze the implementation of VR as a physiotherapeutic tool in the PICU in relation to the impact on patients' feelings and emotions. Children from 6 years of age and with hospitalization from 48 hours were eligible. They received an evaluation of their feelings before therapy, using a playful feelings scale, and performed VR with active games for 15 minutes, once a day, after the feeling was reevaluated. Children with hemodynamic instability or delayed neuropsychomotor development were excluded. 61 children were evaluated between November/23 and February/24, respiratory diagnoses were the highest incidence, in 60% of cases. The assessment of emotion before VR therapy showed a prevalence of feelings of boredom in 40% of children, followed by sadness in 19%; fear in 14%; happiness at 11% and anger at 11%. After using the therapy, 93% of them indicated a feeling of happiness and only 4 evaluated themselves as sad. In this study, it was possible to observe the positive impact of VR immediately after its use, providing an improvement in emotions in the majority of patients.