BACKGROUND: Patients in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) often experience psychological stress. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential outcomes of virtual reality (VR) interventions for enhancing patient experience during SICU stay. METHODS: This mixed-method study employed a pre-post-test design complemented by a sequential explanatory approach, conducted from January to December 2023 in the SICU of a hospital in China. Quantitative data (n = 32) were collected using a Visual Analog Scale to assess pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and comfort. Physiological parameters, including blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and oxygen saturation (SpO RESULTS: Post-intervention, patients showed significant reductions in pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety, along with increased comfort levels (P <
0.05). There were no significant differences in pre- and post-intervention BP, HR, RR, or SpO CONCLUSION: VR interventions significantly reduced psychological stress and improved comfort in SICU patients, with high acceptance and minimal side effects. Further research is needed to optimize VR use in this setting.