The Effect of Helfer Skin Tap Technique on Pain, Fear, and Anxiety in Children Undergoing Intramuscular Injection
Condition: Pain, Acute; Fear Anxiety; Child, Only; Injection Site
MeSH terms: Acute Pain; Anxiety Disorders
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the Helfer Skin Tapping technique on pain,
      fear, and anxiety in children who received intramuscular injections.

      The research hypotheses are as follows:

      H0: There is no significant difference between the intervention group and the the control
      group in the mean score of the "Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale", "Child Fear Scale", and
      "Child Anxiety Scale-State" during and after the Helfer Skin Tapping technique.

      H1: During and after the Helfer Skin Tapping technique, the mean score of the "Wong-Baker
      FACES Pain Rating Scale", "Child Fear Scale", and "Child Anxiety Scale-State" is
      significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group.
    

Detailed description: 
      In this study, there will be two groups as the intervention (who will receive an
      intramuscular injection with the Helfer Skin Tapping technique) and the control group (who
      will receive an intramuscular injection with Routine Technique). A power analysis was
      performed based on the number of children in both groups, based on another study using the
      scales to be used in the research. According to the calculations made in the G-Power 3.1 Demo
      package program, when the effect size was accepted as 0.8, it was seen that at least 32 cases
      in each group would be sufficient for 80% power. Children who meet the research criteria will
      be randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups via http://www.randomize.org/ by
      assigning a number to the order of arrival at the hospital. The intramuscular injection will
      be applied to both the intervention and control groups. The children in the intervention
      group will receive an intramuscular injection with the Helfer Skin Tapping technique and the
      control group will receive an intramuscular injection with Routine Technique in the pediatric
      emergency service. A researcher and a nurse were employed for the intramuscular injection
      both for the intervention and control groups. A pediatric nurse performed the intramuscular
      injection for all children and the other researcher helped the children to assess their pain,
      fear, and anxiety level. Pain, fear, and anxiety in children were evaluated by the children
      and their parents before, during, 5 minute after the procedure. The intramuscular injection
      will be performed by the same nurse both in the intervention and control groups.
    

Intervention name(s): Helfer Skin Tap Technique
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Helfer Skin Tap Technique is a technique in which the researcher taps the Dorso gluteal muscle by counting 1-15 with the palmar aspect of fingers (non-dominant hand) in rhythmic manner before inserting the injection intra muscularly at 90 degree and remove the needle quickly again by tapping and counting 1-3.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Care Provider)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research