Background Perioperative anxiety is a major burden to patients undergoing surgeries with general anesthesia. Objective This study investigated whether a virtual operating room tour (VORT) before surgery can be used to ameliorate perioperative anxiety. Methods We employed a randomized parallel-group design with 2 study arms to compare VORT to the standard operation preparation procedure. The study included 84 patients. A validated inventory (state-trait operation anxiety-state) was used to assess perioperative state anxiety before (T1) and after (T2) surgery. In addition, trait operation anxiety was evaluated with an additional validated inventory (state-trait operation anxiety-trait). Moreover, user ratings on the usefulness of VORT were assessed with an evaluation questionnaire. Study arms were compared for perioperative state anxiety with two-tailed independent samples t tests. Subjective ratings were correlated with STOA-Trait values to investigate possible associations between perioperative anxiety with perceived usefulness. Results There were no significant differences in perioperative state anxiety between VORT and standard operation preparation procedures before and after the surgery. Nonetheless, patients’ ratings of VORT overall were positive. The tour was perceived as useful and, therefore, showed acceptance for VR use. These ratings were unrelated to the degree of perioperative anxiety. Conclusions The subjective benefit of VORT could not be explained by a reduction of perioperative anxiety. Instead, VORT appears to serve the need for information and reduce uncertainty. In addition, VORT is perceived as beneficial regardless of the age of the patients. Considering this effect and the manageable organizational and financial effort toward implementation, the general use of VORT can be recommended. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04579354; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04579354

Learning design models provide guidelines and guidance for educators and course designers in the production and delivery of educational products. It is seen as beneficial to base learning designs on general learning theories, but these must be operationalised into concrete learning design solutions. We therefore present one such educational design model: the Design Cycle for Education (DC4E). The model has primarily been created to support the shift from traditional face-to-face education to blended learning scenarios. The cycle describes eight steps that can be used iteratively in the (re)design of educational products and provides educators and course designers with a flexible but clearly structured design model that enables them to reinvent traditional course content for blended learning with appropriate learning design tools.