A common issue faced in adult mental health in-patient units is conflict between healthcare providers and patients. Safewards is a 10-step model to manage this conflict, and we are exploring how VR-therapy can be added as another strategy in this framework.

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This exploratory study seeks to document the existing Safewards training process, and use these sessions to inform the design of the VR-module “SafeVRwards”. We aim to evaluate the implementation of this module, including testing and refining any resources necessary for training (e.g. instruction manuals and videos, train-the-trainer activities). 

Moreover, we intended to investigate (1) if VR-therapy helps relax healthcare staff, (2) if staff believe this could be an effective tool to use with their patients in order to contain or manage conflict. and (3) if the addition of smell (to the existing visual and auditory stimulation) impacts the degree of relaxation.

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Bedside-staff participants will have the opportunity to try one of three VR- natural scenes (a) beach, (b) waterfall, (c) lake with and without accompanying scent. Feedback about experiences will be gathered through observations, interviews and quantitative sensor-data from electrodes built-into the headset.