Efficacy of Distraction Techniques on Preschool Children's Pain and Physiological Indicators During Venipuncture: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose This study aimed to determine and compare the effect of listening to music and watching cartoons on pain and physiological indicators resulting from venipuncture in hospitalized children at the Hefdah-Shahrivar Educational and Medical Center in Rasht, Iran. Design & Methods This clinical trial enrolled 114 hospitalized children aged 3-6 years over 3 months. The participants were allocated to three groups: music, cartoon, and control using a consecutive random sampling method and block randomization. Interventions were performed from 3 minutes prior to the procedure until its completion. Pain was assessed using the Oucher pain scale, and physiological indicators (HR and SpO2) were measured using a pulse oximeter 3 minutes before, during, and after the procedure. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 16, employing descriptive statistics and statistical tests, including ANCOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests. Results The children in the music and cartoon groups had a significantly lower mean pain score than the control group (p ' .001), while no significant difference was observed between the two intervention groups (p ' .05). Regarding mean heart rate, a significant difference was observed only at the end of venipuncture between the cartoon and control groups (p ' .05), with no significant differences in other variables (p ' .05). The mean percentage of blood oxygen saturation did not differ significantly between the groups (p ' .05). Conclusion Listening to music and watching cartoons were effective in reducing pain associated with venipuncture in children. Therefore, nurses can utilize these low-cost and low-risk nonpharmacological methods to alleviate pain resulting from invasive procedures.