Effect of Virtual Reality Distraction on Pain, Anxiety, Vital Signs in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Puncture

Lumbar puncture (LP) is one of the most frequently applied interventional procedures in the clinical field. It is still used as the gold standard diagnostic tool in some infectious and non-infectious diseases. Its use in treatment also increases the clinical importance of lumbar puncture . Due to its wide range of indications, LP is a procedure that requires a professional approach in nursing care . Patients may feel anxious at every stage of the procedure. Pain and fear may be experienced due to the anesthesia procedure and needle movements during the procedure . Having to maintain the fetal position during the procedure may cause anxiety. This situation may result in deterioration in vital signs later on . Considering all these problems, this study was planned considering that distraction with the help of virtual reality in the nursing care of patients undergoing LP will have a positive effect on pain, anxiety and vital signs. The fact that there is no experimental study in the literature investigating the effect of virtual reality on pain, anxiety and vital signs during LP constitutes the strong and original aspect of the study. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of virtual reality on pain, anxiety and vital signs in patients undergoing lumbar puncture.