The Effect of Virtual Reality

Chest tubes are routinely required during cardiothoracic procedures in open-heart surgeries. Postoperatively, these tubes are typically removed within 24-48 hours, and the removal process often causes patients to experience significant pain and discomfort due to the force applied. Among non-pharmacological strategies for managing procedural pain, distraction techniques are commonly used to divert patients' attention away from painful stimuli. In this context, the use of virtual reality (VR) headsets has recently emerged as an innovative method for pain management, effectively redirecting attention during invasive interventions.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of virtual reality on pain and anxiety levels during chest tube removal. This research is designed as a randomized controlled experimental trial. The study population will consist of patients undergoing open-heart surgery at the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic of Giresun Training and Research Hospital. A total of 60 patients who meet the inclusion criteria and are representative of the study population will be recruited. Data will be collected using a Patient Identification Form developed by the researchers to assess sociodemographic characteristics, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the State Anxiety Inventory. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Patients in the control group will receive routine care without additional intervention. In the experimental group, patients will be thoroughly informed about the VR procedure, including instructions on how to use the headset, details of the video content, and an explanation of the upcoming intervention. Five minutes before chest tube removal, the VR headset will be placed on the patient, and a video will be shown. The physician will then remove the chest tube(s) while the patient is engaged in the VR session. Pain intensity will be assessed at three time points: before chest tube removal, immediately after the procedure, and 20 minutes post-procedure. Anxiety levels will be evaluated twice: before the procedure and 20 minutes afterward. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and independent t-tests will be used for group comparisons, while repeated measures analysis of variance (R-ANOVA) will be employed for repeated measures.