Determination and Comparison of the Mean Anxiety Score of Children Admitted to the Pediatric Ward of Namazi Hospital of Shiraz before and after Venipuncture

Introduction: Venipuncture is one of the most common treatment procedures such that almost ۹۰% of hospitalized patients undergo this invasive procedure. Children report it as the most oppressive, painful, and stressful experience in hospitalization and illness. Therefore, the present study aimed to comparatively study the impact of the use of venipuncture device and the conventional method of venipuncture on anxiety in children aged ۳-۶ years in the pediatric ward of Namazi Hospital.Method: The present study is a random clinical trial study. The samples are ۶۲ children aged ۳-۶ years admitted to pediatric wards. After being selected, the children were randomly assigned to two intervention and control groups. The venipuncture for children in the intervention group was done through the venipuncture device, and for the children in the control group was done by the conventional method. Anxiety responses were measured ۵ minutes before and ۵ minutes after the venipuncture. Anxiety responses during the venipuncture were measured by the Yale-Pas Anxiety Scale. The data were analyzed using independent t-test, paired t-test, and covariance analysis in SPSS ۲۳ software.Results: According to the results of the covariance test in the two groups of venipuncture using the device and using the conventional method, the mean anxiety score after the procedure in the intervention group was ۱۳.۷۷±۱.۹۴ and in the control group was ۱۸±۲.۴۴ (p=۰.۰۰۱). The results showed that the anxiety level after venipuncture in the intervention group has been statistically significantly lower than in the control group.Conclusion: Venipuncture using the venipuncture device has a positive effect on reducing anxiety in children aged ۳-۶ years and can be used as a suitable venipuncture method in pediatric wards.