Analgesic Effect of Distraction during Venipuncture in Children with Thalassemia

Background: Pain is described as the fifth vital sign, and inadequate pain management is linked to numerous immediate and long-term negative outcomes. Venipuncture is one of the most painful medical procedures in children. Distraction is one of the most effective ways to relieve pain. Reducing patients’ pain is important for all nurses for many reasons. Unnecessary pain can damage the nurse-patient relationship, whereas knowledge of alternative techniques can improve patient care and satisfaction. Objective: The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to test the analgesic effect of distraction during venipuncture in children with thalassemia. Materials and methods: Forty patients (6–12 years) who were suffering from major thalassemia and required venipuncture were randomized into distraction group (n = 20, regular breathing exercise) and control group (n = 20, without any intervention). The pediatric pain behavioral symptoms and numeric pain rating scale were used to assess pain caused by venipuncture. Results: The mean pain score based on the numerical scale was 5.60 ± 3.13 in the control group and 1.85 ± 1.42 in the breathing exercise group (p=0.0001), and the mean score of behavioral pain symptoms was 3.80 ± 2.80 in the control group and 0.96 ± 0.75 in the breathing exercise group (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Distraction was demonstrated to be effective in reducing pain among children undergoing venipuncture. This intervention requires minimum effort and time and is a convenient nursing intervention that might be used in clinical settings. Keywords: Pain, Thalassemia, Distraction, Children.