Medical clowns versus sedation for paediatric urinary catheter insertion—A randomised pilot study

Abstract

AbstractAimTo investigate the potential benefits of medical clowns (MCs) in reducing anxiety and pain during paediatric urinary catheter insertion.MethodsIn this prospective pilot study, 51 children who required urinary catheter insertion were randomised into two groups; the first group (n = 29) underwent the procedure in the presence of a MCs, and the second control group (n = 22) underwent the procedure using sedation. Pain and anxiety levels as well as procedural duration were recorded. All procedures were filmed and evaluated for anxiety level by a paediatric psychiatrist. General satisfaction questionnaires were filled by the medical team and parents in the clown group.ResultsThere were no differences in pain scores or anxiety levels between the two groups. Procedure duration and total hospital stay were significantly shorter in the MC group (p < 0.001). One hundred percent of the parents and the medical team were in favour of incorporating MCs during urinary catheter insertion.ConclusionMCs are as good as sedation in lowering anxiety and pain levels in children undergoing urinary catheter insertion. In addition, MCs reduce the duration of the procedure and elicit a high degree of overall satisfaction from the parents and medical team.