Publication Date

Spring 2026

Degree Type

Doctoral Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Tamara McKinnon

Keywords

Heart-lung transplant, Virtual reality therapy intervention, postoperative transplant recipients, Nonpharmacologic strategy

Abstract

Postoperative heart, lung, and heart-lung transplant recipients are at increased risk for anxiety and depression, both of which have been associated with increased risk of complications and higher mortality rates. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a mindfulness-based virtual reality (VR) therapy intervention for postoperative transplant recipients at a Northern California academic medical center and to evaluate its feasibility, tolerability, and acceptability during the index hospitalization. Over a 15-week period, five participants completed a total of eight VR sessions. Participants selected from immersive mindfulness-based environments, including guided meditation and other relaxation experiences. Anxiety and depression were assessed pre- and post-intervention using visual analog scales for anxiety and mood (VAS-A and VAS-M). Cybersickness symptoms and vital signs were monitored to evaluate tolerability. Mean anxiety scores decreased from 4.00 to 2.13, and mean depression scores decreased from 1.88 to 0.88 following VR sessions. Large effect sizes were observed for both outcomes. No cybersickness symptoms were reported, and no clinically significant changes in vital signs occurred. Sessions were completed within routine clinical workflows without adverse events. Findings suggest that mindfulness-based VR therapy may be a feasible, well-tolerated, and acceptable nonpharmacologic strategy to support psychological well-being in postoperative transplant recipients. Larger studies are needed to further evaluate effectiveness and long-term outcomes.

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