Effect of cellphone interactive games on venipuncture pain among Ill hospitalized Egyptian toddlers and preschoolers

Abstract

Background: Venipuncture pain is one of the most fearful experience to children attending pediatric hospitals or clinics, for children it is more horrifying than the disease itself. Aim: Explore effect of cellphone interactive games on venipuncture pain among ill hospitalized Egyptian toddlers and preschoolers. Design: A quazi experimental research design was utilized to fit the aim of the study. Setting: The study was conducted in pediatric surgery and medicine wards at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital. Sample: A convenient sample of 100 child participated in the current study from the surgery ward. Subjects were assigned randomly to either control or study group. Data collection tools: 1) Structured interview questionnaire, related to the personal characteristics of children and their mothers; 2) Pain scale: The Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, CONSOL ability pain scale (FLACC). Result: There were highly significant difference between the total pain mean score between the study group and the control group (p. less than 0.001). On the same side there was a highly significant reduction on pain intensity in the study group compared to increased pain intensity in the control group with a P. value at 0.001. Conclusion: children who used the cellphone interactive game showed less total pain mean scores and lower pain intensity than children in control group. Recommendation: the current study recommended that nurses to incorporate of carefully selected or even specially designated cellphone interactive games as a non-pharmacological active distraction to reduce venipuncture pain among ill hospitalized child.