This randomized pilot clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of virtual reality (VR)-enhanced parent education in improving neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) caregiving practices among parents of hospitalized neonates. The study will also examine the safety and tolerability of VR use among parents.
Researchers will compare VR-enhanced education with standard NICU parent education to determine whether immersive VR training improves parents' knowledge, confidence, and ability to perform caregiving tasks.
Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either VR-enhanced education or standard education. Participants receiving VR education will engage in short immersive sessions demonstrating NICU orientation and caregiving procedures. All participants will complete assessments and observations related to caregiving practices and VR tolerability throughout the study period.
Parent or legal guardian of a neonate admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) within 72 hours of admission
Age 18 years or older
Able to read and understand the study language (Arabic)
Willing to provide informed consent and participate in study procedures
Parent with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy, vestibular disorder, or any medical condition that contraindicates virtual reality exposure
Parent of a neonate expected to be discharged or transferred within 48 hours
Parent unable to complete study procedures or assessments
Parallel
Virtual Reality-Enhanced Parent Education
BehavioralParticipants receive virtual reality-enhanced parent education including immersive NICU orientation and caregiving simulation sessions delivered using a VR headset, followed by structured debriefing.
Parental Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Caregiving Practices
Parental caregiving practices will be assessed using a structured observational checklist measuring performance of bedside neonatal care activities, including hand hygiene, safe positioning and containment, diapering and basic hygiene, and non-nutritive soothing and clustering of care. Each checklist item is scored as completed or not completed, with higher total scores indicating better caregiving practice performance.
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