Use of Incentives for Children Undergoing Stressful Medical Procedures
Jennifer Staab, MS, CCLS
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the use of incentives in pediatric patients requiring medical procedures. The main questions it aims to answer are: Are incentives effective at reducing pediatric anxiety for medical procedures? What is the best way to use incentives with pediatric populations requiring medical procedures? Participants will be provided support in preparation for their procedure and during the procedure by a child life specialist and might receive an incentive prize after their procedure. Participants distress levels during the procedure will be observed and they will be asked to rate their anxiety on a visual analog scale. Researchers will compare the anxiety of those who did or did not receive an incentive after their procedure to see if incentives reduced procedural anxiety.
Description
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact incentives have on the distress and cooperation of children undergoing stressful medical procedures. The primary aim is to determine if offering an incentive reduces procedural distress for children undergoing stressful medical procedures. Secondly, if an incentive is offered does the process for offering the incentive (conditional or unconditional) to the patient impact the procedural distress of the patient. Patient anxiety and visit satisfaction will be looked at as secondary measures.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 6–17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients and parent of patients aged 6-100 years who are undergoing a medical procedure * Patients and parent of patients who are prepared and supported by a certified child life specialist. Exclusion Criteria: * Cognitive impairment that negates the use of the outcome tools * Children younger than 6 years old, or older than 17 years old.
Interventions
- BehavioralChild life standard of care
Standard preparation and support provided to the participant by a Certified Child Life Specialist.
- BehavioralChild life standard of care + incentives provided with conditional agreement.
Patient is provided standard preparation and support provided to the participant by a Certified Child Life Specialist. Before the procedure the child life specialist discusses earning a prize with the patient if they demonstrate the agreed upon coping goal (i.e. holding arm still, taking deep breaths, engaging in distraction.) At the end of the procedure the patient is provided with the prize if they earn the prize based on the agreed upon coping plan.
- BehavioralChild life standard of care + incentive provided unconditionally.
Patient is provided standard preparation and support provided to the participant by a Certified Child Life Specialist. After the procedure is complete the patient is provided with a prize. The patient does not need to do anything to earn the prize.
Locations (3)
- Children's Hospital Colorado AnschutzAurora, Colorado
- Children's Hospital Colorado North CampusBroomfield, Colorado
- Children's Hospital Colorado South CampusHighlands Ranch, Colorado