Effect of Thermomechanical Stimulation Device and Virtual Reality Glasses During Peripheral Intravenous Catheterization

The Effect of Using a Thermomechanical Stimulation Device and Virtual Reality Glasses During Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Administration on Pain and Patient Satisfaction in Adult Patients

The study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study to determine the effect of Thermomechanical Stimulation Device (Buzzy®) and Virtual Reality Goggles (VRG) applied during peripheral intravenous catheterization (PIC) on pain and patient satisfaction in adult patients.

The research was carried out at the Emergency Department of the Etimesgut Şehit Sait Ertürk State Hospital in Ankara from April 2021 to February 2022. The sample of the study consisted of 126 adult patients. The patients were divided into three groups by randomization method. VRG was applied to the first group, Buzzy to the second group and the control group which was the third group using the standard procedure. Before the procedure of PIC, "Introductory Characteristics Form for Patients" was prepared by the researcher containing the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants (gender, marital status, age, educational status, etc. as such). This form was filled out by asking the patient by face-to-face interview method. After catheterization, the "Visual Comparison Scale for Pain" was used by the nurse practitioner to determine the pain of the patients and the "Visual Comparison Scale for Satisfaction" was used to determine the satisfaction status of the patients regarding the application to be performed. It is expected that pain and patient satisfaction scores in groups where a VRG and Buzzy® were used during PIC in adult patients will result more positively than in the control group. It is thought that the results obtained from the research will contribute to the literature.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Shold be a volunteer to participate in the research
• Should be in the age of between 18-65 years old
• Should not use drugs that will have an analgesic effect in the last 24 hours before admission
• Should have successful of the first intravenous catheterization attempt
• Absence of any psychiatric illness
• Absence of any oncology and hematology disease
• Should have the ability to read and write in Turkish,
• Absence of vision, hearing and perception problems
• Should not have a febrile illness at the time of applications
• Should not have thin and damaged vascular structure
• Absence of a history of fainting during blood removal
• Should be conscious, fully oriented and cooperative, and open to communication

Exclusion Criteria:

• Failure of the first attempt to administer intravenous catheterization
• The unwillingness of the patient to continue the research
• Removing the virtual reality glasses before and during the procedure
• Discontinuing of Buzzy ® before and during the procedure
• Deterioration of the patient's health status during the procedure