How do you clean virtual reality equipment between patients?

With a simple, consistent routine: contact surfaces cleaned with products compatible with the material, special attention to skin-contact areas, and where applicable the use of replaceable hygienic covers. The routine should follow the institution's infection-control protocols.

How long should a session last to be comfortable?

Sessions should be short and adjusted to each patient. Brief sessions reduce the risk of discomfort, eye strain, or fatigue, and the session should be stopped at any sign of unease.

Are there contraindications for using virtual reality?

Suitability should always be assessed by healthcare professionals on a case-by-case basis. In any situation of discomfort, dizziness, or nausea, the session should be stopped immediately. Use is always supervised and integrated into the care plan.

Hygiene and safety

Hygiene and safety of virtual reality equipment in hospital settings

In a hospital setting, any shared equipment is also a matter of infection control and comfort. Therapeutic virtual reality is no exception.

5 min read By RVer

Bringing virtual reality to a patient's bedside raises the same questions as any shared equipment in healthcare: how it stays clean, how comfort is ensured, and how its use is kept safe. Solving this well is what separates a good idea from a sustainable practice.

Infection control: a simple, consistent routine

Equipment that moves from patient to patient needs a clear hygiene routine — and above all one that is easy to follow. The simpler the routine, the more likely it is to be done every time.

Contact surfaces cleaned between uses, with products compatible with the materials.
Attention to skin-contact areas, usually the ones requiring the most care.
Replaceable hygienic covers where applicable, reducing direct contact.

The routine should always align with the institution's own infection-control protocols, not replace them.

Comfort: short sessions by principle

Comfort is not a detail — it is part of safety. Long sessions increase the risk of eye strain, fatigue, or discomfort. So the baseline rule is simple: short sessions, adjusted to each patient, and always interruptible.

At the first sign of discomfort, dizziness, or nausea, the session stops. No exceptions.

Safety: supervision and individual suitability

Not everyone, and not every moment, is suitable for a VR session. Suitability should be assessed case by case by healthcare professionals, taking the patient's condition into account. The presence and supervision of the team during the session is an essential part of safe use.

Logistics that sustain the practice

Hygiene and safety only hold up if logistics make them easy: a defined place for the equipment, clear responsibility for cleaning and charging, and hygiene materials always at hand. Without this, good practice fades over time.

Important note: therapeutic virtual reality is a complementary approach, used under the supervision of healthcare professionals and integrated into the care plan. Hygiene and safety routines should always follow the institution's infection-control protocols and standards.

The role of RVer

RVer is an immersive virtual reality therapy system designed for healthcare environments and certified as a Class I Medical Device by Infarmed, in compliance with the European regulation MDR 2017/745. It is built for shared clinical use — simple for teams to maintain and operate, comfortable for the patient, and with no collection of patient clinical data.

In healthcare, safety and hygiene are not accessories to the technology: they are the condition for it to actually be used next to those who need it.

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