The Effect of Helfer Skin Tap Technique on Pain Reduction and Hemodynamic Parameters During Tetanus Injection in Pregnant Women

Abstract Aim; The study was aimed at determining the effect of the Helfer skin tap technique on pain reduction and hemodynamic variables in pregnant women during tetanus injection. Method; It was a comparative study with a randomized control group conducted in a Family Health Center between August 2021, and March 2022. The study was conducted with 65 pregnant women who got tetanus vaccine. The tetanus vaccine was administered using the Helfer skin tap techniques to 33 of pregnant women and the standard intramuscular injection (IM) technique to 32 women. Pregnant women’s pain levels were evaluated on the Number Rating Scale after vaccination by the researcher. Similarly, the hemodynamic variables of the pregnant women were examined by the same researcher before and immediately after the vaccine administration. Results; It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the Helfer skin tap groups and standard application group in terms of mean pain intensity in the post-intervention (p < .01). The majority of the sample (69.7%) in the Helfer skin tap group perceived mild pain and most of the participants (46.9%) in the standard application group had moderate pain in the post-intervention. Respiratory rates of the pregnant women in the Helfer skin tap group were seen to decrease significantly after the vaccine administration (p < .01), but no change was found in the other hemodynamic variables. Helfer skin tap group heart rates were significantly lower compared with those in the standard group (p < .05), while their saturation levels were significantly higher (p < .01). Conclusion; It was concluded that the Helfer skin tap technique is an effective method to reduce pain during IM tetanus vaccine administration.