Identifying oncology caregivers' pretreatment educational and emotional needs to inform future virtual reality educational interventions

Abstract

Purpose: To identify oncology caregivers' unmet educational needs for the development of a virtual reality experience. Methods: A qualitative descriptive methodology was used; data were collected via online surveys. Results: Eighteen participants said their educational experiences were overwhelming and emotionally exhausting. They suggested a need to deliver educational information through different modalities and provide more clinician-based resources and support. Conclusion: This study identified opportunities to complement traditional pretreatment education tailored to the caregivers' needs and experiences, such as specific procedural information and emotional management while being a caregiver. Creating virtual reality experiences exclusively for oncology caregivers is a novel nurse-led approach that is currently not in existence.