Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
European Journal of Oncology Nursing, cilt.80, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
Purpose Central venous catheters (CVCs) insertion is an invasive procedure that may provoke fear and anxiety in children. This randomized controlled trial aimed to determine the effect of therapeutic play on anxiety and fear levels in 6–12-year-old children undergoing CVCs insertion in a pediatric hematology-oncology unit. Methods The study was conducted between October 2022 and August 2023 with 80 children diagnosed with cancer and scheduled for CVCs insertion were included and randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention group (n = 40), which received education using therapeutic play before the procedure, and the control group (n = 40), which received routine clinical care only. Results Eighty children were randomized to the intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 40) group. The intervention group had significantly lower anxiety (CAS-S) and fear (CFS) scores than the control group at all three measurement points (p < 0.01). Heart rate was also significantly lower in the intervention group immediately before and 2 h after the procedure (p = 0.005 and p = 0.001, respectively), and respiratory rate was lower immediately before the procedure (p = 0.001). No significant between-group differences were found for blood pressure or oxygen saturation. Inter-rater reliability between child, parent, and nurse assessments was excellent (ICC = 0.904–0.980, p < 0.001). Conclusion Therapeutic play administered before CVC procedures effectively reduced children's fear and anxiety, supporting its use by nurses to enhance psychological comfort and preparation for invasive procedures, particularly in hematology–oncology settings.