Jo Vrancken
Biography
Jo Vrancken is a nursing lecturer and healthcare researcher at PXL University College. His special interests are in the field of perioperative nursing, evidence based nursing and games for health. During his previous occupations as an anesthesia nurse and later as a head nurse in the operating theatre he was involved and responsible for the care of adults and children undergoing surgery. Especially children undergoing surgery was an area of special interest. Working as an anesthesia nurse gave him the opportunity to witness children’s anxiety before anesthesia induction as well as the emergence delirium during the waking up in the recovery after surgery. Adressing children’s anxiety and parent’s concerns about surgery and anesthesia was one of his concerns. Later on, during his work at PXL University College, the opportunity to bring up ideas about serious gaming and the use in a healthcare environment was presented. Together with his colleague, Liesbeth De Gryse, and the colleagues from the IT department, the project HospiAvontuur was initiated.
PRESENTATION 2018
Validation of HospiAvontuur – Progression of the RCT
The aim of this project is to use multidisciplinary developed, evidence based serious game, HospiAvontuur, which can be used during the preparation of children for an admission at the hospital. By using this game the researchers aim to reduce preoperative anxiety in children by reducing the usage of pharmacological interventions and to increase the use of non-pharmacological interventions, such as HospiAvontuur.
During last year’s GFH conference, the early stages of development of the game were presented. This year, the focus of the presentation will be on the randomized clinical trial which is still ongoing. The efficacy of the game is being tested by an RCT at the Jessa Hospital in Hasselt, Belgium, in cooperation with the anesthesia department and the otorhinolaryngeal surgeons.
Preoperative anxiety is frequently experienced by children undergoing anesthesia and surgery (Kain et al, 2006) and being separated from parents during the operation. It is associated with a significant number of adverse outcomes such as maladaptive behavioural changes and increased postoperative analgesic requirements (Kain et al, 2006).
Pharmacological interventions such as midazolam are widely used to decrease preoperative anxiety in children (Kain et al, 1999; Kogan et al, 2002). However, premedication may be associated with undesirable effects such as paradoxical reactions, prolonged sedation and adverse behavioural changes (Kain et al, 2000; Kain et al, 2000).
PRESENTATION 2017 (Track 1)
Hospi adventure: an evidence based multidisciplinary developed serious game for children undergoing surgery
During the presentation both the early stages of the project (a feasibility study conducted in 2014-2015 and the development of one game scenario) as well as the multidisciplinary approach of the development and the testing of the game (2016-2017) will be explained. In conclusion, the validation study (which will be ongoing during the games for health 2017 congress) will be presented.
PRESENTATION 2017 (Dutch Program 2)
Ziekenhuis avontuur: welzijn van kinderen bij chirurgie