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Sammanfattning

Children experience fear and pain in association with needlestick procedures. Consequently, nurses play an important role easing children's fear- and relieving pain associated with needlestick procedures. Close cooperation with the child's parents, communication adapted to the child's developmental level, and targeted nursing intervention are important elements in the cooperation between nurses and children. Preparing the child for the procedure requires use of verbal explanations, concrete examples and illustrations. Here, dolls, cuddly toys or computer-animated scenarios are possible solutions. The child can be actively involved and achieve co-determination, which helps the child experience a feeling of control over the situation. During the procedure the nurse can distract the child using humour, play, and fantasies. Distraction is used to switch focus from the procedure so that it is experienced unproblematically and rapidly overcome. Following the procedure the child may need to process the emotional experience and reactions resulting from the intervention, and the nurse must be able to accommodate the child's feelings. On a ward level, nursing staff have to work within guidelines and shared attitudes, and the time necessary in respect of needlestick procedure-related pain in children must be highly prioritised.

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