The introduction of Telethon funded 3D distraction technology at Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) is helping improve the experience of young patients.
Purchased with a grant from Telethon, the Vpod system provides a welcome distraction for children undergoing uncomfortable procedures in the new Telethon Children’s Ward at JHC.
The equipment provides breathtaking 3D images – including an underwater world, castles, butterflies and dinosaurs – which captivate and distract young patients enduring difficult and painful procedures such as injections, blood tests or blood transfusions.
Seven-year-old Luke DeGroot recently had bloods taken and an IV cannula inserted whilst using the distraction TV with great results.
“You wear the 3D glasses and things come flying towards you, lots of different things and you have to move around them using the control,” he said.
“With my glasses on I couldn’t really see the needle and it was so fun to watch that I didn’t really care about the needle.”
By distracting patients, virtual reality can be a valuable tool in the perception of pain and anxiety associated with medical treatment.
Children usually become engrossed in what they see through the 3D goggles and sometimes do not even notice when treatments begin and end.