In hopes to combat the ongoing opioid and drug addiction problem relating to pain management in the United States, we examined the effectiveness of using virtual reality as a post operative pain intervention in comparison with the standard pharmacological regimen. Through this, we examined various studies that tracked a variety of procedures where virtual reality has been implemented. The majority of the studies divided participants into two groups; one receiving solely medication and the other adding in virtual reality.
Virtual reality was shown to be highly appraised and accepted by patients across the board. It was not shown to have drastic effects solely on pain via nerve transmission, but it was helpful in decreasing anxiety both preoperatively and postoperatively, thus reducing the patient’s perception of the pain. The best results regarding its use occurred when used in conjunction with analgesic pain medication.
It was determined that virtual reality is still a new intervention and treatment for pain, so research and data surrounding this topic is somewhat limited. The need for future research with larger sample sizes was agreed upon in order to solidify data in regards to the overall effectiveness of virtual reality and post-operative pain.
As aspiring nurses, this information is essential because it shows promise in alleviating patients’ pain and decreasing anxiety. It could potentially help reduce the amount of narcotics needed. In addition, it has been shown to aid in range of motion while also decreasing fear of movement.
Our job as nurses is to give our patients the best level of care. With this information, it has not only made us aware of a new pain intervention that may be utilized in practice but has also given insight into ways of combating and treating pain rather than relying solely on pharmacological interventions.
Authors: Abigail Brown, Benjamin Flinders, Megan Wachter, Kasten Rini
Advisor: Dr. Eyad Musallum, Department of Nursing
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