Venopuncture in Pediatric Emergency Department Using Koala's Distraction Method

Summary

A randomized clinical trial will be performed. Patients aged 3 and 4 years who attend the pediatric emergency service of the Miguel Servet Hospital in Zaragoza and require venipuncture will be selected. In the control group, traditional venipuncture will be performed, placing the child in supine position on the stretcher with the limb to be punctured in decline. In the intervention group, the DAK method will be used, where the adult will hold the child simulating a hug. A professional will take care of immobilizing the chosen limb, and the nurse will perform the venipuncture. The researchers believe that 3 and 4-year-old children subjected to venipuncture using the Koala Attachment Distraction method present a lower level of stress and pain, as well as their companions a lower level of anxiety, compared to those subjected to physical restraint.

Condition of disease: Patients aged 3 and 4 years, who attend the pediatric emergency service of the Miguel Servet Hospital in Zaragoza and require venipuncture.

Intervention: Traditional venipuncture, in supine position on the stretcher with the limb to be punctured in decline. + DAK method, simulating a hug.

Conditions

• Nursing Caries
• Emergencies
• Venous Puncture

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Control group: Traditional venipuncture, on the stretcher.

The companion will be given the State/Trait Anxiety Questionnaire(STAI) for the initial assessment of the companion's anxiety and will be asked to recall their perceived emotions during the venipuncture. The observer will assess child pain and stress using FLACC and Groningen scale and will record it. Next, the companion will place the child on the stretcher in supine position with the limb to be punctured in decline. During the technique, the companion will be present, being able to participate by establishing links of consolation or distraction, as is usually done in the hospital. Simultaneously, a professional from the service will be in charge of holding the chosen extremity, as well as the opposite one. The responsible nurse will perform the venipuncture and/or collecting samples. The observer will assess child's pain and stress and caregiver's STAI during the intervention with the same scales.

PROCEDURE

Intervention group: DAK method venipuncture, simulating a hug

The companion will be given the State/Trait Anxiety Questionnaire(STAI) for the initial evaluation of the companion's anxiety and will be asked to recall their perceived emotions during the venipuncture. The observer will assess child's pain and stress using the FLACC and Groningen scale and record it. Subsequently, the caregiver will sit in a chair placing the child on top in front of him, with one leg on each side and the arms resting on the shoulders of the companion. The patient's head will rest on the adult's shoulder, contralateral to the limb to be punctured. Simultaneously, the responsible adult patient will hold the simulating a hug. A professional will take care of immobilizing the chosen limb. The responsible nurse performed the venipuncture and collecting samples. The observer will assess the child's pain and stress during the intervention, and will deliver the STAI to the caregiver, to be completed with their perceived sensations during the technique.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Tania Fernández, Nursing · Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet (Zaragoza, Spain)

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

3 Years

Max Age

4 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-06-01

Primary Completion

2022-06-30

Completion

2022-06-30

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations