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The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center is providing pediatric patients an escape from potentially painful or uncomfortable procedures and to relieve anxiety in order to create a positive experience.

In an attempt to reduce stress and offer a calming distraction from the treatment they are undergoing, patients can put on a set of virtual reality goggles to escape the hospital environment and go on an exciting journey.

This interactive technology by Los Angeles-based appliedVR was given to the Child Life Program at the children’s hospital by a donor through the Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation.

The goggles are utilized for patients in the Children’s Cancer Institute, and the pediatric inpatient and outpatient units of the children’s hospital.

Ryan Shaughnessy, 17 said he has used the goggles several times during his hospital stays.

“It was fun, and using it made me feel a little better,” said Shaughnessy.  “It really took my mind off the situation and was fun to play all the games on it and to learn how to use the program.”

The VR software is constantly being updated, offering patients an ever-expanding assortment of places to go to.

The headset is easy to operate and is being used to further assist child life specialists while they care for patients. This technology offers an entertaining distraction to children when they are receiving important, yet typically anxiety-inducing treatments, such as blood draws, IV insertions, spinal taps, dressing changes and blood transfusions.