An IV therapy teaching tool for children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Child Psychology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Intravenous (IV) therapy is a common yet anxiety-inducing procedure for hospitalized children and their families.
• Effective preparation is crucial for mitigating children's fears and fostering cooperation during medical interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the design of a novel teaching tool utilizing medical play to prepare pediatric patients for IV therapy.
• To highlight the importance of learning principles in developing effective pediatric patient education materials.

Main Methods:

• A teaching tool was developed incorporating principles of medical play.
• The tool is intended for use with preschoolers and school-age children undergoing IV therapy.
• The design process considered established learning principles relevant to child development.

Main Results:

• The developed teaching tool aims to demystify the IV therapy procedure for young patients.
• Anticipated outcome is reduced procedural anxiety and enhanced patient cooperation.
• The study underscores the value of evidence-based design in pediatric healthcare education.

Conclusions:

• Nurses can leverage learning principles to create tailored teaching tools for preparing children for medical procedures like IV therapy.
• Such tools can significantly improve the experience of hospitalized children and their families.
• This approach supports child-centered care and enhances procedural tolerance in pediatric settings.