Authors

1Rafael Garzón Benítez, 1Gracia María Pérez Fernández, 2Elisa Isabel Prados García, 1Isabel González Alabarce

Position

¹Enfermero/a. Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Almuñécar (Granada). Área de Gestión Sanitaria Sur de Granada.²Técnico en cuidados auxiliares de Enfermería. Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Almuñécar (Granada). Área de Gestión Sanitaria Sur de Granada.

Contact address

Rafael Garzón Benítez. Centro de Salud de Almuñécar. C/ Chingetti, s/n. 18690 Almuñécar (Granada).

Contact email: rafael.garzon.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es

Abstract

Objective: to determine whether a structured nursing intervention of affective actions will cause a reduction in the distress suffered by children when faced with venipuncture.
Method: before-and-after intervention study, conducted at the health centre in Almuñécar (Granada) with 1 to 5-year-old children who required venipuncture for blood tests. In order to determine distress, the Children’s and Infants’ Postoperative Pain Scale (CHIPPS) was used. The intervention consisted of a set of affective actions: continuous contact with parents / guardians; use of language adequate for their age; showing and explaining the venipuncture materials, and projection of their preferred audiovisual aids.
Results: the sample included 100 subjects, allocated on a 50% by gender and two age categories (1 to 3-year-old and > 3 to 5-year-old). There was a significant change in all variables (p< 0.05) in the overall sample, except for crying (p= 0.057). A significant change was observed in all parameters for boys, except in crying; while in girls, there was a change in facial expression and chest posture, but not in crying, motor restlessness, and leg posture. We found a significant change in all variables in the 1-2-year-old group, while no change in leg posture and crying occurred in the 3 to 5-year-old group.
Conclusions: there is evidence showing that the inclusion of some simple affective techniques will cause a reduction in children’s distress during venipuncture.

Keywords:

Venipuncture; Children; distress; fear; psychological intervention

Versión en Español

Título:

Las acciones afectivas y el distrés del niño ante la venopunción