Video game distraction and anesthesia mask practice reduces children's preoperative anxiety: A randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combined video game distraction and anesthesia mask exposure and shaping intervention as compared to conventional preoperative preparation on the preoperative anxiety, anesthesia induction compliance and emergence delirium of children undergoing day-case surgery.

Design And Methods: The CONSORT guidelines were followed in the current study; a randomized clinical trial, two groups, pre posttest, between subjects design with 1:1 allocation ratio was employed. Children (5-11 years of age; N = 128) admitted for day case surgery were invited to participate in the study. Sixty-four children were assigned to the intervention group receiving combined videogame distraction and anesthesia mask exposure and shaping intervention, and 64 children were assigned to the control group.

Results: The results showed that children in the intervention group reported statistically significant lower anxiety scores than the children in the control group at three preoperative points of time: postintervention t = 4.48, p < .001, at the time of transfer to the operation room t = 10.18; p < .001 and during anesthesia induction t = 7.76; p < .001. In addition, compared with the children in the control group, fewer children in the intervention group demonstrated poor anesthesia induction compliance χ  = 3.91; p = .04. The results, however, did not reveal statistically significant differences in children's emergence delirium scores.

Practice Implication: Combined video game distraction and anesthesia mask exposure and shaping are simple, safe, and time-effective intervention that the nurses can implement at the day of surgery to mitigate children anxiety and to enhance their anesthesia induction compliance.