This review highlights how virtual reality and augmented reality improve training and reduce patient anxiety in intensive care settings.
The application of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies in intensive care medicine is increasing, demonstrating tremendous potential. This review summarizes the development history of VR and AR technologies and their specific applications in intensive care medicine, including healthcare professional training, relief for patient discomfort and distress, enhancement of communication with patients’ families, and reduction of healthcare workers’ stress. Studies have shown that VR and AR perform excellently in training techniques such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, vascular puncture, tracheal intubation, and tracheotomy, effectively improving the operational skills and confidence of medical staff. Additionally, VR therapy has significant effects in reducing anxiety and pain in critically ill patients. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, VR-based virtual visitation systems effectively enhanced communication between medical staff and patients’ families. However, despite the promising prospects of these technologies, their high costs and integration with medical standards and procedures remain significant challenges. In the future, close collaboration among industry stakeholders, medical professionals, and technology developers is necessary to optimize the application of these technologies in intensive care medicine.
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Liu et al. (2025) studied this question.
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