Abstract
Introduction
Patient anxiety in the perioperative setting is a concern for healthcare professionals. This anxiety is especially pronounced in pediatric patients, as perioperative areas are especially traumatic for children. Studies have been performed showing that distraction techniques such as clowns or computer games are useful to help manage anxiety during the induction of anesthesia. No study has been performed using the Vecta sensory station as a method of decreasing perioperative anxiety in children.
Methods
In the preoperative and postoperative areas at our tertiary care hospitals from July to Sept 2017, caregivers were offered the Vecta sensory station for the pediatric patients to use. Perceptions were collected by a short survey.
Results
Forty-eight girls and 64 boys were included in the study. Furthermore, 71.4% of caregivers said that it helped to pass waiting time a lot, with over 98% of caregivers saying they would ask for it again the next time their child needed surgery. Among perioperative nurses, 98.2% felt that the Vecta did not interfere with care delivery, and 86.6% felt it was helpful in keeping patients calm.
Conclusion
The Vecta was considered successful by caregivers of pediatric patients as a useful technique to reduce perioperative anxiety in children.
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