Assessment of Guided Imagery Effect on Reducing Anxiety and Pain Associated with Wound Dressing Changes in Burn Patients

Burn damages are important causes of mortality and morbidity. They are also associated with many physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences.
The present study was conducted to assess the effect of guided imagery on reducing anxiety and pain due to dressing change in burn patients.
The statistical population of this clinical trial included all burn patients (grade 1 and 2 but not self-immolation) who admitted to the burn department of Imam Reza hospital in Mashhad (the second largest city in Iran) between September 2012 and March 2013. 40 patients selected non-randomly through convenience sampling method were divided randomly into two equal groups of intervention and control. The intervention group received guided imagery treatment (15 minutes per day for 8 days) in addition to the routine care, while the control group only received the routine care. Data were gathered through a demographic form, Beck anxiety inventory, and McGill pain inventory. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics such as independent t-test in SPSS software.
The comparison of anxiety and pain between the two groups in pre-test showed no significant differences (P = 0.310 and P = 0.120, respectively). However, there were significant differences in the scores of anxiety and pain between the groups in post-test (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively).
It seems that guided imagery can reduce the level of anxiety and pain due to dressing change in burn patients.