Assessment of nurses' knowledge and practice regarding the use of gum chewing during Pediatric intravenous cannulation

Abstract

Background: Children who undergo pediatric intravenous (IV) cannulation frequently experience severe pain and anxiety. Gum chewing is one non-pharmacological strategy that has drawn interest due of its ability to lessen procedural pain and discomfort. When it comes to using such straightforward, economical methods, nurses are essential. The purpose of this study was to evaluate nurses' understanding and application of gum chewing during pediatric IV cannulation. Subject and methodology: A descriptive study strategy was used. Over the course of four months, the study was carried out in the general pediatric units connected to Al-Habobi Hospital in the Dhi-Qar Governorate of Iraq. Fifty nurses were chosen as a convenience sample. A structured interview questionnaire measuring nurses' awareness of gum chewing and an observational checklist measuring nurses' usage of gum chewing as a non-pharmacological pain treatment technique were the two instruments used to gather data. The Chi-square test, Fisher Exact Test, and descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of the data using SPSS version 25.0. A statistically significant p-value was defined as <0.05. Results: The results showed that, regarding chewing gum, 56% of nurses had average knowledge, 24% had extensive knowledge, and 20% had poor understanding. Most nurses reported limited use of chewing gum during intravenous cannulation (60%), while 28% demonstrated moderate practice and only 12% demonstrated good practice. Knowledge was positively associated with practice (r = 0.42, p = 0.002) and was significantly influenced by age, education, and previous training (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Nurses' knowledge and use of chewing gum techniques during intravenous cannulation were insufficient and require improvement. Recommendations: It is recommended to integrate chewing gum into routine nursing care and provide ongoing training to improve nurses' skills in pediatric intravenous cannulation.