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Effects of tablet-based augmented reality on anxiety, fear, and pain during venipuncture in children: a randomized
Emine Zahide Özdemir1, İrem Nur Özkaya2, Ruşen Çiftçi3
1Department of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, 35340, Turkey. ezahideozdemir@gmail.com.
Insights
Tablet-based augmented reality (AR) significantly reduced children's anxiety, fear, and pain during blood draws. This non-pharmacological approach offers a promising way to improve pediatric procedural experiences.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nursing
- Medical Technology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Venipuncture is a common and often distressing procedure for children.
- Managing procedural anxiety, fear, and pain is crucial in pediatric care.
- Exploring innovative non-pharmacological interventions is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of two tablet-based augmented reality (AR) applications on children's anxiety, fear, and pain during venipuncture.
- To compare the effectiveness of AR interventions against usual care in a pediatric setting.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, three-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial involving 120 children aged 5-12 years.
- Children were assigned to one of two AR groups or a usual care control group.
- Anxiety, fear, and pain were assessed using validated scales, with outcomes reported by children, parents, and nurses.
Main Results:
- Both AR groups showed significant reductions in anxiety and fear compared to the control group (p < .001).
- Post-procedural pain scores were significantly lower in AR groups across all reporter types (p < .001).
- AR interventions were effectively integrated into clinical workflows.
Conclusions:
- Tablet-based AR applications are effective in reducing procedural distress (anxiety, fear, pain) in children during venipuncture.
- AR presents a viable non-pharmacological strategy for enhancing pediatric procedural experiences.
- AR can be seamlessly integrated into routine pediatric nursing care.
Purpose:
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two different tablet-based augmented reality (AR) applications on anxiety, fear, and pain during venipuncture in children aged 5-12 years.
Design And Methods:
A prospective, three-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted in the pediatric blood draw unit of a university hospital. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups: AR Group A, AR Group B, or usual care (control). Anxiety and fear were assessed before and after venipuncture using the Children's Anxiety Meter-State and the Child Fear Scale, respectively. Post-procedural pain was assessed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. Outcomes were independently reported by children, parents, and nurses. Repeated measures ANOVA and Welch ANOVA were used for statistical analyses.
Results:
A total of 120 children (40 per group) were included in the final analysis. Baseline characteristics were comparable across groups. Both AR intervention groups demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety and fear from pre- to post-venipuncture compared with the control group (p < .001). Significant time, group, and time × group effects were observed for both outcomes. Post-procedural pain scores were significantly lower in the AR groups than in the control group across child-, parent-, and nurse-reported assessments (p < .001).
Conclusions:
Tablet-based augmented reality interventions effectively reduced anxiety, fear, and pain during venipuncture in children. These findings suggest that AR represents a promising non-pharmacological strategy for managing procedural distress in pediatric nursing practice.
Practice Implications:
Augmented reality applications delivered via tablet computers can be easily integrated into routine pediatric nursing care and may enhance children's procedural experiences during venipuncture without disrupting standard clinical workflows.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06575816. Retrospectively registered 16 August 2024.
