The effect of hospital clown nurse on children's compliance to burn dressing change

Abstract

Background and aim: Pediatric burn injury is a traumatic experience which affects the child both physically and psychologically. Following the burn injury, repetitive dressing changes are one of the main problems, and to manage the level of distress caused this procedure, various distraction strategies are being used. However, the effect of hospital clown during burn dressing change among children has not been studied before. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of hospital clown-nurse on children's compliance to burn dressing change.

Methods: This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted with 50 children between 3-7years. There were 25 children in the experimental group and 25 children in the control group. In the intervention group, clown-nurse accompanied the child during burn dressing change while the children in the control group received standard care without hospital clown. Children's behavioral reactions were observed during dressing change.

Conclusions: Children in the intervention group had better compliance to burn dressing change, in other words, they cried and/or yelled less, they were more active, had better mood, better communication and interaction with the accompanying parent and the nurse. In addition, older children in the experimental group had better compliance to the burn dressing change.

Keywords: Burns; Dressing change; Hospital clown; Nursing care; Pediatric.