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Randomized interventions for needle procedures in children with cancer
L Hedén1, L VON Essen, G Ljungman
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Unit for Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Children's University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. lena.heden@kbh.uu.se
European Journal of Cancer Care
|December 2, 2008
Summary
Blowing soap bubbles or using a heated pillow significantly reduced children's fear and distress during needle procedures, according to parental reports. These interventions proved more effective than standard care for pediatric oncology patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Child Psychology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Needle insertion procedures, such as intravenous port access, can induce significant fear, distress, and pain in children.
- Effective non-pharmacological interventions are crucial for managing procedural anxiety and discomfort in pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of blowing soap bubbles and using a heated pillow as interventions to reduce fear, distress, and pain during routine needle insertion in pediatric oncology patients.
- To compare the effectiveness of these interventions against standard care.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 28 children (aged 2-7 years) undergoing routine intravenous port needle insertion.
- Each child received two needle insertions: one with standard care and another with standard care plus a randomized intervention (blowing soap bubbles or heated pillow).
- Parental and nursing assessments of children's fear, distress, and pain were conducted using 0-100 mm visual analogue scales.
Main Results:
- Parental reports indicated a significant reduction in children's fear when interventions were used compared to standard care (P < 0.001).
- Specifically, blowing soap bubbles led to less fear and distress (P < 0.05), and heated pillows led to less fear (P < 0.05) compared to standard care.
- Nurses' assessments did not reveal statistically significant differences between intervention groups and standard care.
Conclusions:
- Blowing soap bubbles and using a heated pillow are effective strategies for decreasing children's fear and distress during needle procedures, as reported by parents.
- These findings support the integration of simple, non-pharmacological interventions into routine pediatric care for needle-related procedures.
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