Electronic Distraction for ICU Patients

Overview

This is a feasibility study of electronic devices in order to reduce neuro-psychological disorders and suffering in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. A first step study is necessary to define which device is effective and safe to reduce symptom intensities, among music therapy, virtual reality with real pictures, virtual reality with artificial pictures, and common devices (radio or television). If some devices are effective to reduce patients' symptoms, a second step will be to implement and assess the impact of these tools in a multicenter trial.

Quality of life following intensive care unit discharge is more and more anticipated during the ICU stay. Psychological trauma during ICU stay, related to medical management, can be very deleterious at short and long term, inducing psychological troubles as post-traumatic stress disorder and delaying the return to a normal social and professional life. For this reason, managing patients' distress is particularly important in the intensive care setting. There has been an increasing number of new technologies for the distraction of patients in different settings. a Today, a large amount of electronic distraction is available. TV and radio are available in each ICU, music therapy has already been studied and it is currently used in some ICUs. Virtual reality (VR) is used to improve attention and memory in stroke patients. Furthermore, VR seems to decrease stress post trauma disorders and phobia, as well as pain and anxiety during surgical procedures and physiotherapy. Our first step study will help us to determine which electronic distraction has the most effect on the top five discomfort symptoms frequently observed in ICU: pain, anxiety dyspnea, thirst and sleep privation.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes