Evaluation of the effect of visual distraction on the anxiety and pain associated with wound dressing changes in burn elderly patients

 Dressing change is a routine care practiced for burn patients, It can be associated with anxiety and pain.  In spite of drug intervention, older patients with burn have to tolerate severe pain in this process. Sedation and analgesia as premedication can lead to complications in the elderly and those with comorbidities. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of visual distraction technique on reducing anxiety and pain due to dressing change in burn elderly patients.

The present study was a single-blind, three-group clinical trial. The research population consisted of elderly patients with burns in Mottahari Hospital. Sixty elderly patients were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experiment and control groups. For experiment group, visual distraction technique (films about nature) was designed to reduce anxiety and pain, and was carried out 20 minutes before dressing. In the control group received routine care. The intensity of Pain and anxiety in patients was evaluated before, immediately after intervention (before dressing), and finally after dressing change using a visual analogue scale. Data were gathered through questionnaires including, the demographics characteristics, visual pain scale, and burn specific pain anxiety scale. For analyzing the data ANOVA, U MannWhitney, and chi-squared were performed using SPSS version 21.

Demographic variables were similar in two groups. The finding indicated that there was not a significant reduction of severity of anxiety (70.5 ± 20.64) and pain (7.75 ± 0.64) in the patients with dressing change burns in the experimental group in compare with control group (70.60 ± 86.87) (7.60 ± 0.86) respectively. (P˂0/01). After intervention, as a significant reduction of severity of anxiety (62.6 ± 55.98) and pain (6.06 ± 0.91) in the patients with dressing change burns in the experimental group in compare with control group (70.51 ± 7.65) (7.73 ± 0.75). After dressing change, as a significant reduction of severity of anxiety (62.6 ± 55.98) and pain (6.06 ± 0.91) in the patients with dressing change burns in the experimental group in compare with control group (70.33 ± 7. 52) (7.68 ± 0.87).

It seems that Visual distraction technique as a supplement medicine can reduce the level of anxiety and pain due to dressing change in burn elderly patients.