J Korean Acad Child Health Nurs.  2006 Apr;12(2):215-222.

The Effects of Character Distraction on Intravenous Injection Pain of Hospitalized Preschooler

• Lim OW
• Cho KJ

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the effects of distraction generated by character on the reduction of intravenous injection pain. METHOD: This study was conducted using a quasi experimental non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. Sixty preschool children who were admitted to the pediatric department in a C university hospital were selected and were assigned. by convenience assignment to the experimental or control group. The two groups were homogeneous for demographic characteristics.
RESULTS
In the experimental group, objective pain(t=3.666, p=.001), subjective pain (t=3.415, p=.001) and perceived pain by the mother(t=2.528, p=0.014) decreased after the intravenous injections as compared to the control group. There were no statistical significant differences in pulse rate or fear between the experimental and the control group.
CONCLUSION
These findings indicate that using character stamp and stickers could be considered as an independent nursing intervention for reduction of intravenous injection pain in preschooler.

Keyword

Pain; Character; Distraction

MeSH Terms

Child, Preschool
Heart Rate
Humans
Injections, Intravenous*
Nursing
Child Health