Respiratory ICU Nurses and Patients' Acceptance of the Virtual Reality System for ICU Early Mobilization

Background: More and more researchers have recommended critically ill patients to start mobilization as early as possible. However, the implementation of ICU early mobilization is not ideal, mainly due to insufficient staff and rehabilitation equipment in ICU, and the lack of exercise intention of patients. Our multidisciplinary research team including academic researcher, ICU head nurses and respiratory therapists and this team have developed a virtual reality system for ICU early mobilization (VREM system) to increase patients’ compliance of early mobilization. This study aimed to evaluate ICU nurses and patients9 acceptance of VREM system. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in RICU nurses (n = 36) and patients (n = 55). The questionnaire was designed by our research team based on Technology Acceptance Model, consisting of seven dimensions: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived ease of learning, perceived applicability, perceived security, perceived satisfaction and intention to use. The score of each item was ranged from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). After ICU nurses and patients fully used VREM system at least once, they filled out the acceptance questionnaire. Results: As shown in Figure 1, RICU nurses showed high acceptance of VREM system, the average score for each dimension is higher than 4 points. RICU patients showed also high acceptance of this system and the lowest average score was 3.7. Among the seven dimensions, perceived usefulness was the highest rated domain for nurses and patients9 acceptance. Conclusions: The nurses and patients had good acceptance with VREM system. It also needs to further promote the function of VREM system based on nurses and patients’ suggestion.