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Keywords

pain, labor, virtual reality

Disciplines

Nursing

Description

Managing pain during labor is a main component of the daily work of a clinician in labor and delivery. Pain control and prevention of suffering are key components in this area of nursing (Frey et al, 2019). While pharmacologic approaches to pain control (ie. epidurals) are widely utilized and seek to eliminate pain, non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management are also sought after by patients. Coping is encouraged, self-confidence can increase, and well-being is at the forefront of non-pharmacologic interventions. Virtual Reality (VR) has been shown to be effective in managing acute pain in a wide variety of settings including burn patients, cardiac surgery, and labor patients.

VR came to be in the 1980s to refer to a user-computer interface that allows for real-time simulation of an environment that users can interact with via multiple sensory channels (Lanier, 2001; Gonzalez-Franco & Lanier, 2017). So not only does it provide sound distraction but engages multiple senses while isolating a patient from the immediate clinical setting (Hoffman et al, 2011). VR has long been cost prohibitive to widespread application, however with advances in technology, the cost of high-quality headsets has decreased.

Nurses who provide labor support play a vital, unique role in supporting birthing women. This is another tool that nurses can draw from to provide labor support, to women who meet criteria and are interested in VR. Additionally, assistive personnel who have been trained, are able to set up this modality for patients.

Publication Date

5-6-2024

Comments

Nurses Week at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, May 6-12, 2024.

Virtual Reality for Labor Pain & Anxiety

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