Painful Procedures in the Emergency Department: A Distraction Intervention (3-5 Year Olds) (ERPain)

The purpose of this study is to determine if the pain and anxiety that children experience when they have venipuncture procedures performed can be reduced by a video-based distraction and coping strategy intervention. An instructional video has been designed to educate parents and children about what is going to happen during the venipuncture procedure, to teach coping skills that can be used before and during the painful procedure, and to provide distraction during the procedure by using an entertaining video segment.

Approximately 168 children (3-5 years of age) who are seen in the IWK ED requiring venipunctures for blood collection or IV starts will be randomized. Parent and child training in distraction and coping strategies will be provided by means of a self-administered video-delivery via a portable DVD player. Fifty percent of the eligible participants will receive the distraction and coping strategies intervention and 50% will receive the standard medical care provided by the IWK ED. Those receiving standard care will be evaluated for outcome results and then be compared to the intervention group. It is expected that children who receive the intervention will report less pain and anxiety associated with venipunctures than those who receive standard care.