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Feasibility, Subjective Effectiveness, and Acceptance of Short Virtual Reality Relaxation Breaks for Immediate Perceived Stress Reduction in Emergency Physicians: Single-Arm Pre-Post Intervention Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Emergency physicians face significant stress in their daily work, adversely affecting patient care and contributing to physician burnout. Objective: This pilot study explored the feasibility, immediate effects, and acceptance of virtual reality (VR) relaxation on perceived stress reduction among emergency physicians. Methods: The study was conducted at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Bern, Switzerland, in February 2023. All junior and senior physicians were eligible, excluding those with epilepsy, claustrophobia, or severe nausea. Voluntary participants underwent a 6- to 8-minute VR meditation program at their workplace. Subjective short-term stress reduction was measured using a numeric rating scale (NRS) ranging from 0 ("not at all stressed") to 10 ("extremely stressed"). Feasibility, user acceptance, and technical aspects were evaluated using validated and self-constructed questionnaires. Results: <.001), particularly among participants with high baseline stress levels. Reported side effects (simulator sickness) were minimal; the median score of presence and immersion according to the questionnaire developed by Slater-Usoh-Steed was 4 (IQR 3-4) (scale 1-7, with 7=full immersion). User satisfaction was high. Implementation challenges mainly included technical issues and time constraints due to high workload. Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that brief, relaxing VR sessions may help reduce short-term perceived stress levels in emergency physicians with minimal side effects and high user satisfaction. Future studies should address implementation challenges to optimize integration with clinical workflows.

Source: JMIR XR and spatial computing.

DOI: 10.2196/72605

Authors: Tanja Birrenbach, Seraina Häni, Sabrina Jegerlehner, Simon Schober, Aristomenis K Exadaktylos, Thomas C Sauter

Institutions: University of Bern, University Hospital of Bern

Language: English

Topic: Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts

Subfield: Human-Computer Interaction

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,500