February 21, 2022 – Researchers found that brief sessions of virtual reality stimulation helped frontline healthcare workers reduce stress in the short term. According to the journal PLOS ONE, researchers from Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, OhioHealth Healthcare Organization and Ohio University piloted a three-minute Tranquil Cinematic-VR simulation of a nature scene to lower subjective stress among frontline healthcare workers in COVID-19 treatment units.
They chose to film a nature scene “because of the extensive empirical literature documenting the benefits of nature exposure and health,” according to the research article, and 102 individuals participated in the study. Among the study participants, 82.4% participants provided direct patient care. Post-simulation, researchers observed a significant reduction in subjective stress scores from pre- to post-simulation, and only four participants met the cutoff for high stress after the simulation. Post-simulations scores did not differ by provider type, age range, gender, or prior experience with virtual reality.
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