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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

SO243

A virtual calming room in inpatient psychiatric care: a qualitative study with healthcare professionals

VIRTUAL REALITY

Healthcare professionals are positive about offering a virtual reality calming room to inpatients with mood disorders, but emphasize that awareness, training, and time are needed for wider adoption.

The aim is to explore the experiences of healthcare professionals who support and guide inpatients with mood disorders in using a virtual reality (VR) calming room. The study used a qualitative design; semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face or online were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase thematic analysis framework; the sample size was not reported in the poster. The findings were presented under three themes: the advantages of offering patients a VR calming room to reduce anxiety; the importance of awareness, time, and knowledge among healthcare professionals; and the role of the VR calming room in strengthening the therapeutic relationship. According to the conference abstract, staff found the room helpful in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, but expressed reservations about its use with patients experiencing psychosis or mania. The initial introduction to the device was viewed as an opportunity for meaningful conversations that strengthened the therapeutic relationship. Also according to the abstract, patient responses varied: younger patients found the tool enjoyable, whereas older patients took longer to become accustomed to the device; the inability of patients receiving outpatient care to use the room at home was identified as a disadvantage, and although the ability to use the device anywhere on the ward provided flexibility, it also raised patient safety considerations. In conclusion, healthcare professionals are positive about providing inpatients with severe mental illness access to a VR calming room; awareness, training, and time are seen as important components in encouraging both staff and patients to use VR.

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