Implementation of Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions for Pediatric Needle Pain

• Published in: Clinical practice in pediatric psychology 2014-09, Vol.2 (3), p.224-235
• Main Authors: Boerner, Katelynn E., Gillespie, Joanne M., McLaughlin, Elizabeth N., Kuttner, Leora, Chambers, Christine T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Pain; Evidence Based Practice; Female; Human; Pain; Pain Management; Pediatrics
• ISSN: 2169-4826; 2169-4834
• DOI: 10.1037/cpp0000074

Needle procedures are a painful and distressing experience for many children. There is a strong evidence base that demonstrates the efficacy of psychological interventions for reducing pain and distress during needle procedures. However, actual implementation of these strategies before, during, and after a needle procedure is affected by multiple factors that increase the complexity of delivery of these interventions in clinical settings. These challenges include application of evidence-based strategies to diverse populations that tend to be excluded from the research literature (e.g., children with developmental delays, children with needle anxiety or phobia), environmental barriers (e.g., providing pain management strategies for needle procedures in different settings), and practical or logistical issues (e.g., inadequate preparation time). We discuss these issues, provide practical suggestions for increasing access to evidence-based pain management strategies, and present three illustrative case examples. Pediatric psychologists may face challenges in implementing evidence-based strategies for needle pain and distress, but important opportunities for educating families and health professionals about the management of procedural pain from needles are available.