Children’s Fear and Pain During Medical Procedures: A Quality Improvement Study With a Humanoid Robot

Abstract

Background Pediatric patients undergo a variety of painful medical procedures. Purpose The goal of this quality improvement study was to introduce a humanoid robot (MEDi®) programmed with strategies, such as distraction and deep breathing, at inpatient and outpatient units to determine any preliminary effects on children’s pain and fear during medical procedures. Methods A nonrandomized two-group pre- and posttest design was used to compare pain and fear of children before and after intervention versus standard care. A total of 46 children aged 2–15 years undergoing various medical procedures in a pediatric hospital, and their parents completed the Children’s Fear Scale and the Faces Pain Scale-Revised. The former was used both before and after the procedure, while the latter only after the procedure. Results Children ( n = 18), who interacted with the robot before and during a procedure, and their parents reported significantly lower levels of fear and pain than did children ( n = 28) and their parents in standard care, ps < .05. Conclusions The use of a humanoid robot programmed with psychological strategies to support coping may enhance children’s experiences of care for pain management.