Comparison the Effects of Two Methods of Playing with Toys Made of Medical Materials and Visual Distraction on Pain Intensity and Anxiety During Venous Catheter Insertion in Children Aged 3-6 Years: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Aim: The insertion of a peripheral intravenous catheter is one of the most common procedures in nursing, causing pain and anxiety in children. This study aimed to compare the effect of two methods of using toys made with medical devices and visual distraction on the intensity of pain and anxiety during venous catheter insertion in children aged 3-6. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial study,150 children aged 3-6 years who needed venous catheter insertion were assigned to 3 control groups(A), toys with medical devices(B), and visual distraction(C) by a random block allocation method. There was no intervention in group A. In group B, toys were provided to the child 5 minutes before the start of the catheter insertion, and the child could play with the toys until the end of the procedure. For group C, the cartoon started playing 5 minutes before the insertion of the venous catheter and continued until the end of the procedure. The Wang-Baker face comparison was used to assess pain intensity, and the child anxiety face tool was used to assess anxiety. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance under STATA version 14 software. Results There was a statistically significant difference between the mean pain scores of the control group with visual thought deviation (P=0.008), but there was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the control group with toys with medical devices and visual scores deviation with toys with medical devices. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean anxiety scores of the medical device toy group with the control (P=0.001) and the medical device toy with visual thought deviation (P=0.001), but no significant statistical difference was found between the mean anxiety scores of the visual thought deviation group with the control. Conclusion: It is recommended to use large televisions in children's catheter insertion rooms to broadcast children's programs, as well as toys with medical devices, to reduce pain and anxiety during venous catheter insertion