Using Parental Involvement During Venipuncture to Reduce Venipuncture Pain and Anxiety in Children With Cancer

This was a randomized controlled trial with parallel groups in which 60 children with cancer aged 6-12 were randomly allocated to a control group (n = 30) and a parent involvement group (n = 30). Each child's anxiety was evaluated by the child using the Children's Fear Scale before, during venipuncture, and each child's pain during the procedure was evaluated by the child using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. Each child's heart rate and oxygen saturation were measured with a pulse oximeter device before, during the procedure.

Control group (n = 30): Routine venipuncture procedure was applied to the control group. The parent was present in the child's room but did not participate in the procedure.

Parent involvement group (n = 30): A parent was involved in the procedure. The parent held the children in their arms and holding the extremity from which the blood was drawn, holding the hands of children and communicating with their children in the child's room, and in this way the parent was involved in the procedure.

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosed with cancer,
• requiring venipuncture for blood tests,
• 6-12 years old,
• not having taken any analgesics in the 6 hours before venipuncture,
• being in a non-terminal phase of the disease,
• absence of neutropenia,
• volunteering to participate in the study,
• the absence of any health problems that prevent communication in the parent or the child

Exclusion criteria

• reporting pain for another reason in the time of the venipuncture
• having another chronic disease besides cancer