Determining the Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Videos on Hemodialysis Symptoms, Vital Signs and Comfort in Hemodialysis Patients

Hemodialysis (HD) is one of the treatment options used to regulate renal functions in the treatment of chronic renal failure. In hemodialysis, patients have to cope with many problems during the treatment process as well as the disease. In addition, patients require HD treatment, which lasts three to four hours, three times a week on average. Factors such as having to go to a dialysis center for these treatments, patients having to continue their lives depending on the machine, restriction of movements during the session, increased dependency of the patient, deterioration in their adaptation to professional and social relationships affect the patients' daily life activities and reduce their comfort. With the developing technology, virtual reality, a new technique in the healthcare industry, has begun to be used in nursing care in order to reduce the symptoms experienced by patients and to comfort the patient.

The virtual reality device removes the patient from the environment with the glasses and headphones attached to the person's head, along with the image on the screen and simultaneous sounds, and focuses his/her attention on the virtual video images. This study was planned as a randomized controlled study to evaluate the effect of virtual reality-based videos on hemodialysis symptoms and comfort in hemodialysis patients. The research was planned to be conducted with 50 hemodialysis patients. "Patient Introduction Form", "Dialysis Symptom Index (DSI)", "Vital Signs Monitoring Form", "Hemodialysis Comfort Scale Version II" will be used to collect data. After the scales were applied, patients in the experimental group were exposed to virtual reality glasses for 30 minutes, twice a week for 8 weeks. The video will be watched. At the end of 8 weeks, the scales will be applied again and compared with the initial scale results.

As a result, in line with the findings obtained from the research, the effect of virtual reality application on dialysis symptoms, vital signs and comfort during hemodialysis treatment will be determined and suggestions will be made to encourage patients to use virtual reality methods in the environments where they are treated.