Karolinska Institutet
Project focuses on implementing Virtual Reality distraction technology in healthcare units where children undergo painful procedures at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital
Name of the strategic project
Implementation of eXtended Reality (XR) Technology for Painful Procedures in Paediatric Care
When was the project initiated?
2024
Do you have any academic affiliations or collaborations?
Yes. The project team consists of nurses and physicians at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital. Several team members are affiliated with Karolinska Institutet and the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health.
Describe the project
Painful procedures are unfortunately a central part of paediatric healthcare and can be physically and emotionally distressing for children. The experience of pain is influenced not only by nerve signals, but also by the patient’s attention and emotional state. Distraction therefore plays an important role in pain management, particularly during short procedures.
Virtual Reality (VR) provides an immersive experience and has been shown to reduce both pain and anxiety more effectively than traditional distraction methods. Alternatives such as mobile phones may be less effective, while nitrous oxide sedation is resource-intensive and has an environmental impact.
Pilot projects using VR at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital have shown promising results and are now enabling broader implementation across the hospital’s paediatric care units.
Describe your solution
The project focuses on implementing Virtual Reality distraction technology in healthcare units where children undergo painful procedures at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital.
What problem are you addressing?
The initiative aims to reduce pain, anxiety and fear among children undergoing painful hospital procedures. Children who are afraid of blood, needles or related phobias can avoid direct exposure through the VR solution.
Additional benefits include shorter care visits, reduced trauma associated with physical restraint, and decreased use of procedural sedation such as nitrous oxide and other sedative medications. This also contributes to reducing the hospital’s environmental impact.
What impact does the project create?
The evaluation is still ongoing, but early trends indicate that nitrous oxide sedation has been replaced by VR distraction in several departments, including paediatric orthopaedics, the paediatric emergency department and the day-surgery unit.
The initiative has also contributed to a more positive working environment for healthcare professionals, who appreciate being able to offer children an engaging and enjoyable distraction tool.
In addition, costs may be reduced by decreasing the need for anaesthesia staff in situations where procedural sedation or nitrous oxide would otherwise have been required, helping optimise the use of limited and costly healthcare resources.
What stage is the project currently in?
The project is currently in an implementation and evaluation phase, focusing on user adoption and behavioural outcomes within the healthcare organisation.
VR solutions have been implemented across 15 different care units, and the team is working to support long-term adoption and self-sustained use within each department.
What are you currently seeking to take the next step?
The project is exploring grant opportunities to support broader regional and national implementation.
An XR Day will also be organised on October 23, bringing together participants from across Sweden to share knowledge and experiences.
In parallel, the team collaborates with companies, organisations and international research networks to further improve XR solutions and contribute to knowledge exchange in the field.
What future potential do you see for the initiative?
The project has no commercial ambitions but aims to spread knowledge and encourage broader adoption of XR-based solutions in healthcare.
The ambition is for healthcare organisations, policymakers and industry stakeholders to support solutions that contribute to improved wellbeing for children, healthcare professionals and society as a whole.
