A Distraction Protocol for Peripheral Intravenous (IV) Placement in the Pediatric Emergency Department

A Distraction Protocol for Peripheral IV Placement in the Pediatric Emergency Department

This is a randomized, controlled trial of a distraction protocol for peripheral intravenous line placement in the pediatric emergency department. Patients and parents will be randomized to one of two interventions: routine care or a teaching session about the cognitive technique known as distraction. The study seeks to enroll children ages 4-9, who are cognitively normal, who are without significant chronic medical illness, who are receiving intravenous line placement as part of routine care in the pediatric emergency department. Study investigators hypothesize that patients in the intervention group will report less pain than patients in the control group.

Routine care patients will have intravenous lines placed in the usual manner.

Intervention patient families will have a teaching session about distraction techniques, and distraction will be used during the intravenous line placement.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ages 4 - 9
• Requiring IV placement for medical care in emergency department
• Child cognitively normal

Exclusion Criteria:

• No significant chronic medical conditions
• No IV in past 3 years