BLOOD QUEST 2: Creatively preparing children for blood-taking
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Blood Quest: A creative approach to preparing children for having blood taken
IRAS ID
142549
Contact name
Faith Gibson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
Having a blood test is often very distressing for children and can be detrimental to their psychological well being. Needle phobia, or anticipatory/procedural distress, can develop in some children as a result of a negative experience. Preparation for blood taking at the onset of illness is therefore invaluable in minimising distress. There is currently no standard ‘tool’ to prepare children for having blood tests. The focus currently tends to be on distraction of children whilst the procedure is taking place or on managing existing needle phobia. Whilst there are members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) who can assist with preparing children for blood tests such as play specialists and psychologists, there remains a lack of resources for nurses to use for this purpose. Added to which in acute paediatric haematology many blood tests occur out of ‘working hours’ where access to play specialists and other professionals is very limited or non-existent.
This project takes a broader approach to preparing children for blood tests. Through a range of activities with children this project will look at the importance of blood within the body, specifically blood’s role in these medical conditions and the treatment of these conditions and why we need to take blood. Phase 1 of this innovative project (already completed) has brought together patients, clinicians and creative professionals to develop a ’BLOOD QUEST’ game. The aim of Phase 2 of this project is to test out the ’BLOOD QUEST’ game with children to see if it is an effective and informative ‘tool’. We hope that we can develop something that can continue to be used in practice at our hospital, and others.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/WM/0449
Date of REC Opinion
30 Oct 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion