The effect of using a thermomechanical stimulation and virtual reality glasses during peripheral intravenous catheter administration on pain and patient satisfaction

This research was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study in order to determine the effect of thermomechanical stimulation and virtual reality glasses on pain and patient satisfaction during peripheral intravenous catheter (PIC) administration in patients. The study was conducted between June 12, 2021 – February 6, 2022 with 126 voluntarily patients who applied to the emergency department of a State Hospital in Ankara and were requested to the PIC, met the criteria for inclusion in the study. The patients were randomized homogeneously divided according to gender into thermomechanical stimulation group (n=42), virtual reality glasses group (n=42) and control group (n=42). During the PIC, the patients in the thermomechanical stimulation group were treated with a device that applied cold application and vibration, while the patients in the virtual reality glasses group were watched nature videos with glasses. The patients in the control group were not given any treatment during the procedure. In the collection of data, the "Introductory Characteristics Form for Patients", a "Visual Comparison Scale" for assessing the pain of patients and their satisfaction with the application were used. For the evaluation of the data, number, percentage, Kolmogorov Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U, chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis multiple comparison test, Spearman's correlation coefficient were used. As a result of the research, it was determined that the pain scores of the patients in the thermomechanical stimulation and virtual reality glasses group were significantly lower compared to those in the control group, and satisfaction scores increased (p<0.001). Thermomechanical stimulation was found to be more effective in reducing pain and increasing patient satisfaction during PIC than virtual reality glasses, but the difference between the groups was not significant (p>0.05). As a result, it was found that thermomechanical stimulation and virtual reality glasses reduce pain and increase patient satisfaction during PIC application in adult patients. It is recommed to expand the use of thermomechanical stimulation and virtual reality glasses by nurses during PIC.