Evaluating the Impact of Immersive Virtual Reality in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital Anna Leffler – Spring 23.
The purpose of my project was to determine the feasibility of using immersive virtual reality at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Braintree, MA. My site mentor, Kim VanDaley, had previously identified a gap and need for services that would help reduce acute pain and increase quality of life. IVR felt like the perfect tool to try out based on prior research to suggest it can reduce acute pain. To implement IVR at the hospital, I created a system to set up a headset at a hospital, trained therapists, and trialed the IVR with patients. Patients reported decreased pain, improved mood, and enjoying the experience. Therapists noted improved function, participation, and affect following IVR. The results of this project indicate that it is possible and beneficial to use IVR in this inpatient rehabilitation hospital and that the patients can see a reduction in pain and improvements in quality of life by using the technology.
Anna Leffler’s Poster wins 1st place at the Tufts Graduate Student Symposium
The Feasibility & Effectiveness of Meditation Virtual Reality on Reducing Pain for Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis Tara Sarkar – Summer 21