Effect of virtual reality distraction on venipuncture pain in children in the emergency room

Abstract

Introduction: Virtual reality (VR) as a distraction strategy has been used in healthcare centers; however, the evidence is inconsistent in demonstrating VR's effect on pain control during venipuncture. Objective: To describe the effect of VR on pain during the venipuncture process in children and adolescents in a private institution in Bogotá. Materials and Methods: An unblinded, randomized, experimental study was conducted in the emergency room of a fourth-level care facility. The sample consisted of 46 children and adolescents between the ages of 7 and 14. Twenty-three were randomly assigned to the experimental group with a VR headset and 23 to the control group. The dependent variable ‘pain’ was measured before, during, and after venipuncture using the visual analog scale (VAS) of pain. Results: Perceived pain is different before and after the procedure; however, using the VR headset did not show any statistical or clinical differences during the venipuncture procedure. Discussion: Variables such as vital signs, venipuncture time, and follow-up were important in measuring symptoms such as pain at venipuncture. Conclusion: VR can be used by nurses; however, more research must be done to demonstrate its effect on pain control during venipuncture, considering a greater power of the study, type of pain, and variables such as family support and nurses’ time of experience.