Introduction Staff often experience significant emotional impact and work-related stress when supporting patients with palliative care needs. Interventions to support staff and help them manage stress are needed. There is growing research into the benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) to manage patients’ anxiety, depression and pain. This study explored the use of VR as a resource to support staff during their limited break time and determine its feasibility and impact on areas of wellbeing.

Method The project team consulted existing literature and other teams with experience in delivering VR to design intervention. Three different VR experiences were selected for use during staff break time. Specialist palliative and end of life care teams were offered the intervention. Following the experience, all participants completed an online questionnaire outlining their feelings towards aspects of the experience.

Results

• 18 staff participated: 89% female, 11% male. Average length of experience 14 mins.

• The VR intervention received unanimously positive feedback.

• All staff recommended use for staff and patients’ friends and family.

• Positive effects were reported by 88% of participants which lasted more than one hour for 38% of them.

• 44% of participants experienced VR side effects, the vast majority of which lasted less than a minute. These were more often triggered by more active VR experiences (e.g. spacewalk). 1 participant used VR for more than 15 mins: reported side effects up to 30 mins after stopping.

Conclusions Findings demonstrated high interest in VR as a therapy for staff. Nature and City breaks amongst the preferred experiences. Positive findings in VR use for staff encouraged to assess its further application for patients and their relatives in palliative and end of life care. Side effects can be minimised by limiting length (10–15 minutes as reported in previous research) and activity level of VR experiences.