Determination of pain experienced by children during intravenous bolus treatments and its causes

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the pain experienced by children during intravenous bolus treatment and to identify what causes it. Method: In the first stage of the study, the first 40 observations were performed by two researchers. The study was continued by a single observer after the Kappa test was performed. In this study, 101 drug treatments were administered by intravenous bolus in patients aged between 1 month and 6 years. The pain experienced during treatment was assessed using pain scales according to the age group the patient was in. Results: Pain was observed in 63.4% ( n = 64) of the treatments. There was a significant relationship between the type of medication administered and pain experienced during drug administration. There was also a significant correlation between the age of the children and their pain experiences. Given the location of the catheter, there was no significant difference among the children who experienced pain during intravenous treatment. Conclusion: Intravenous drug therapy may cause pain in children. To minimize such pain, it is recommended to determine the drugs that cause pain during intravenous treatment and to develop application protocols to minimize pain caused by these drugs.