Impact of Innovative Nurse - Led Therapy on Biopsychological Determinants of Children with Cancer in Selected Hospital- A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of Innovative Nurse-Led Therapies namely Digital storytelling and laughter therapy on the level of pain, fatigue, and anxiety in children with hematological cancer since nurses are on the forefront to assess, care and intervene children with cancer facing multidimensional issues in order to adapt positively to the disease. Methodology: A True experimental pretest post test control group design was adapted for this study with a sample of 15 children attending the pediatric oncology unit for treatment of hematological cancers were included. The data collection was done using the standardized tools for pain, fatigue, and anxiety in pre and post test along with demographic and clinical variables during the pretest phase. Descriptive and Inferential statistics was used to analyze the collected data. Results: The children 60-80% of hematological cancer were between 5-7 years of age irregularly attending school, admitted more than thrice to the unit for therapy. The DST had marked effect on level of pain and anxiety among children in interventional group1. The Laughter therapy showed statistically significant changes in post test in level of pain and anxiety in children in interventional group 2. Conclusion: It was revealed that almost all children admitted with hematological cancer had level of pain, fatigue and anxiety in a moderate to severe on pretest assessment which had reduced after DST and laughter therapy interventions

Keywords: Children, Hematological cancer, Digital storytelling (DST), Laughter therapy, pain, fatigue, and anxiety