Effectiveness of a Videofilm in Preparing Children Undergoing Major Surgery

Wednesday, 9 July 2008: 9:10 AM
Preethy Dsouza , Nursing Program, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to identify the steps in developing a videofilm for children

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to appreciate the usefulness of video film in clinical practice

Title: Effectiveness of a video film in preparing children undergoing major surgery.

The objectives of the study were:

1)To develop and validate the video film for children (5 – 14 years) undergoing elective surgery.

2)To compare the effectiveness of video film

2.1) on reduction in the anxiety of children undergoing surgery.

2.2) changes in the selected physiological measures.

3)To determine the effect of video film

3.1) on manifest upset and cooperation in children.

3.2) on recovery parameters and post hospitalization behavior Methodology

Quasi experimental design, consisted of 20 children in the experimental group and 20 in the control group selected using purposive sampling. The intervention for the study consisted of the video film “Understanding your child's operation”. The Video film which was the main intervention was viewed by experimental group children and their parents. The effect of the intervention was measured using the dependent variables such as anxiety, physiological measures, manifest upset and cooperation behaviors, recovery parameters and post hospital behavior changes.

Results

The results showed that Video film was effective in reducing the anxiety of children. Mean overall anxiety scores during shifting to operating room was 16.6 in control and 6.1 in experimental group showing apparently lower anxiety in experimental group. Mean overall anxiety scores at the time induction of anesthesia was 5 in the experimental group and 14.5 in the control group, indicating apparently, and lower anxiety in experimental group.It was effective in stabilizing some of the physiological parameters in the experimental group children as compared to the control group. It was also effective, as the experimental group were less upset and more cooperative during selected nursing activities. The intervention had its effect on recovery parameters and the experimental group recovered faster. Moreover the post hospitalization behavior changes are less in the experimental group.