An Immersive VR Experience of Terminal Agitation in Hospice Care

Terminal agitation, characterised by disrupted cognition, agitation, and hallucinations, is a significant issue in end-of-life care, with up to 88% of patients affected. It is distressing for all who witness it, leading to an increased burden on healthcare professionals and carers. We saw a unique opportunity to use virtual reality (VR) to support staff managing terminal agitation. Our aims were:

1. To reduce the anxiety and concern of nursing staff around caring for this group of patients.
2. To give staff an unparalleled opportunity to experience their patients’ symptoms first hand.
3. To increase confidence in caring for this patient group.

We developed an immersive virtual reality (VR) learning experience for hospice care staff around terminal agitation called “See through my eyes”, filmed completely in-house using an Insta-360 camera and delivered using Pico VR headsets. Confidence of learners around caring for terminally agitated patients was assessed before staff undertook the VR learning session, experiencing life from a terminally agitated patient’s point of view. Staff then completed the questionnaire a second time to see what impact the VR intervention may have had.