Procedure of phlebotomy
Phlebotomy procedure must involve venipuncture (puncturing the vein) mostly the one visible from the bend of the arm near the elbow. A phlebotomist might draw blood from the top of the hand, scalp vein or vein. Phlebotomists use butterfly needle to perform venipuncture among the children while it is attached to a syringe or directly drawn into a tube after tying a tourniquet onto the child’s arm. Butterfly needles are the smallest, and only the highly trained staff knows the best way to use them. They say that crying is not because of the pain that the need causes but because the child is uncomfortable due to the stronghold to make him or her still.
Nonetheless, children like many adults find needle pokes and the leading events to be frightening and painful. Trypanophobia of fear of needles and accompanying pain is common in children and can have a significant impact on the lifelong healthcare of an individual because it might continue in adulthood.
Music Therapy for Pain Relief on Children during Phlebotomy
Music therapy for pain relief is a clinical use of music intervention to accomplish goals such as pain relief within a therapeutic relationship. It is useful when phlebotomy is for treatment of the particular condition and not a simple draw of blood. Pain relief is also essential for small pricks because phlebotomists and parents are not happy when the children cry. It is the reason why a facility should have a professional with credentials to provide the music therapy. A professional knows the appropriate music to soothe the child and provide any other benefits.
Music has been therapy in medical practice for more than thousand years. People began accepting it as a formal means of care in the 1940s after doctors realized it was helping to restore wellness when treating soldiers who were suffering. The number of music therapists has been growing showing there is a demand for this service. Nowadays thousands work in hospitals, clinics, pain management centers and senior centers. Others work in rehabilitation programs.
Effects and Benefits of Music Therapy in Pain Relief
Many people have over the years understood that music enhances mood. It is the reason we listen to it even when there is no need to manage physical pain such as commuting home after a hard day. Today, music therapists use it to soothe and stimulate children for them to forget the pain during procedures such as phlebotomy. It will help in creating better socialization between the medic and the patient instead of the usual situation that a patient to tense. Music also helps in managing any pain from phlebotomy by inspiring, energizing and uplifting to allow the made to change its focus from the nursing effect.
1. Reduces anxiety levels due to needle phobia
Needle phobia that occurs because a patient fears the needle increases anxiety and even stress for those who need phlebotomy more than once. No one can underestimate the value of music therapy in promoting a child to relax during this procedure. Much anxiety or stress at this time can cause a temporary spike in blood pressure a factor that contributed to the narrowing of blood vessels. It will be difficult to find the veins and draw blood. The pain will also increase when veins are invisible. An extra scare before a blood draw can cause a child to start hyperventilating or breathing too fast. If it happens, the level of carbon dioxide in the blood will start dipping causing lightheadedness or even passing out if the level is too low.
2. Sensory stimulation
Some patients are in the hospital to receive phlebotomy as one procedure that a physician uses for long-term treatment. Music therapy will help in pain relief and management by providing a sensory stimulation that evokes a response in a patient. Research shows that music, when phlebotomy is a part of the clinical intervention, helps to:
- Reduce the amount of pain that a patient perceives
- Promote relaxing, rhythmic breathing and rest
- Alleviate anxiety and stress
- Uplift the mood and give it a positive boost
Music as a means of pain management means that the therapist will use it as a means of conditioning the patient to relax, release the pain and stress. Soothing music works better when a therapist pairs it with relaxation techniques. The child patient will with time learn to relax when listening to the music.
The benefits music therapy or patients who rely on phlebotomy sessions is that it eases the chronic pain making the patients to:
- Require less use of pain relievers
- Make significant improvements in their blood pressure, respiration, muscle relaxation and heart rate.
- Enjoy peace of mind and increase the quality of life
Pain or fear of its occurrence can cause children to jerky movements that increase the risk of puncturing the wrong point of the vein or body and cause complications. Some of the complications that occur if venipuncture goes wrong include:
Osteomyelitis: Puncture of the bone which can cause an infection that requires the use of long-term IV therapy for the treatment Hematoma: Seeping of blood into tissue that occurs when a needle goes through the vein or the bevel does not entirely get into position. It might cause a blood lump(tumor) if there is no action to stop the procedure promptly and applying pressure on the pint. Hemoconcentration: Occurs when tourniquet (a device for pressing a blood vessel to control bleeding during bandage fastening) stays on for too long because it allows the fluid to pass through but stops the cell. If a clinician reads Hct readings at this moment, they will be incorrect. Hemolysis: Rupture of the red blood cells to cause a release of pink-tinged serum and hemoglobin to make the test results grossly incorrect. Collapsed veins: Occurs because a too quick drawing of the syringe of the vacuum becomes too strong for a small vein Petechiae: Small pinpoint cruises as a welt of too tight tourniquet due to collapsed veins or rupture in the capillaries Failure to draw: Occurs when the needle goes too deep into the vein or does not get to the appropriate depth. Lack of vacuum in the tube or placement of the needle bevel against vein wall can also cause a failure to draw. Music therapy is different from playing any songs. Music therapists have the skills to create soothing and stimulating treatments. Therapists know how to use music therapy to foster improved socialization, self-expression and memory recall for lost children who are getting phlebotomy for long-term treatment. Some of the key benefits of professional music therapy include reducing anxiety, stress, and power of stimulating social and verbal skills. Music therapy specialists know how to assess the mental and physical state of a patient to develop the most appropriate therapeutic plan. They usually work as part of a therapy team with some choosing to specialize in a particular group such as children and teenagers. They administer music to one individual, a small or large group depending on the needs. Qualified music therapists begin by assessing the needs and strengths of every client before choosing the way to help the patient relief the pain. They have more option for older children, who they can involve in listening, singing, creating and moving to music. The therapeutic context of musical involvement strengthens the ability of the patient to withstand fear of pain and transfer the positivity to other aspects of their lives. Music therapy also provides an avenue for communication which can be helpful for children who might have difficulties in using words for self-expression due to other underlying conditions. Research in music therapy shows that those who came across it as patients or when taking the children to a clinic attest that it increases motivation to engage in treatment, provide emotional support even for those accompanying the kid's phlebotomy and provide an outlet for expressing feelings. Music therapy patients often report feeling better after a therapy session that involves singing or even a passive listen. Engaging music helps in a recall of memories for children with mental development challenges, in ways that other therapies could not achieve. Children are like adults in some ways and will be low mood when they are unwell and at more anxiety when they know that a visit to a doctor will include phlebotomy. Many will not understand the importance of a blood draw and will not have the sense to withstand the pain. They will see as if the pediatrician wants to pick their vein intentionally and cry or even try to escape. Playing the most popular songs among other kid at the moment can bring back the happiness, calm and energy. One of the best remedies for stress is music. Music has a link to moods, and individual songs can make individuals feel a variety of emotions from happy, calm, energetic or relaxed. Playing music for therapy can be in different ways and achieve different purposes. For instance, cool music helps to relax the mind while beating a drum or playing another instrument helps to
alleviate low spirits and stress. Music also sets the mood if the diagnosis after the phlebotomy reveals a condition that requires much exercising alongside other methods of treatment. All forms of music can produce therapeutic effects according to Psychology Today although music from someone culture might have more impact than others. It is like listening to music for non-therapeutic purpose where every individual has a preference. Children will love the familiar music they listen to at home or school, and the higher level of engagement will make them forget then pain momentarily. Chinese medical theory states that the meridian and five internal organ systems have corresponding musical notes that encourage healing. Various types of music evoke different of neurological stimulation. For instance, classical music triggers comfort and relaxation, but rock and other loud genres of music might lead to discomfort for ailing children as well as adults. The best type for pain relief is that which elevates the threshold of pain. Music therapy generates more benefits for the children if it continues after the phlebotomy. It gradually creates a good feeling and makes the kids forget the pain they felt during the blood draw. Listening to the music and audio books is another alternative to the post phlebotomy pain in the children. Some of the audio books that are a hit among the children patients are: Music therapy for pain relief on children during phlebotomy is a strategy that pediatricians should utilize to minimize anxiety and relief pain after blood draws for a test or treatment. It is inexpensive and does not cause any side effects. A music therapist can create more impact by individualizing the songs to suit each patient as well as include other aspects like playing a simple instrument or teaching lyrics to a kid. A good thing about music therapy is that the patient does not need to be gifted I singing or playing instruments, but the attention will help to relieve pain.Why Use Professional Music Therapists for Pain Relief on Children during Phlebotomy
Forms of Music Therapy Presentation for Pain Relief on Children during Phlebotomy