The Effect Of Getting Children Between 3-6 To Watch Small Aquarium Fish On Physiological Parameters, Pain and Stress During Blood Collection

Plain-language summary

Disease patterns are different from adults due to the fact that the abstract thinking and cause-effect abilities of children in the 3-6 age group are not developed. Children in this age group; Their ability to cope with stress is limited due to the need for special care, life experiences, mental development and inadequate ability to express themselves verbally (Conk et al, 2013). Illness is a source of pain and stress for them due to external factors and is a punishment for their bad behavior (Conk et al, 2013; Teksöz \& Ocakçı, 2014).Hospital, on the other hand, means foreign environment/persons, loss of independence, loss of privacy, painful procedures, disruption of daily routines, surgery, pain, disability, death, separation from family and friends for children (Conk et al, 2013). Blood collection and vascular access are the interventions that cause the most pain, stress and anxiety in hospitalized children (Duff, 2003; Caprilli et al, 2007) . Non-invasive non-pharmacological methods increase the release of endorphins, the body's natural morphine, and relieve pain, thereby reducing the stress and anxiety of the child and family (Bergomi et al, 2018). Clinical experience argues that human-animal bonding, which is one of the distraction practices in pain management, is effective in reducing pain and stress (Muslu, 2011; Min \& Zaw 2016; Alvarez et al, 2020) . In the light of all this information; The aim of this study was to determine the effect of watching small aquarium fish, which is used as a distraction method during the blood collection process, on the pain and stress, heart rate and oxygen saturation during the procedure in children aged 3-6 years who applied to the blood collection unit. Hypotheses of the Research: Hypothesis 0 (H0): Feelings felt by children watching and not watching fish during blood collection there was no difference between stress, pain score, heart rate, oxygen saturation, crying and procedure time. Hypothesis 1 (H1): The oxygen saturation of the children who watched the fish during the blood collection process is high. Hypothesis 2 (H2): Children watching the fish during the blood draw have a higher heart rate is low. Hypothesis 3 (H3): Children who watched the fish during the blood draw had a higher pain score is low. Hypothesis 4 (H4): The stress score of the children who watched the fish during the blood collection process was higher is low. Hypothesis 5 (H5): The crying time of the children watching the fish during the blood collection process is longer is short. Hypothesis 6 (H6): The processing time is longer for children watching the fish during the blood collection process is short.

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