Comparison of Skin Stimulation Method and Topical Anesthetic Cream on Pain and Heart Rate Variability during Arteriovenous Fistula Puncture in Hemodialysis Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this was to compare effects of application of the skin stimulation method and topical anesthetic cream on pain, heart rate variability and satisfaction according to nursing intervention methods during arteriovenous fistula puncture in chronic renal failure hemodialysis patients. METHODS: This study was a crossover design. Participants were 36 patients with chronic renal failure receiving hemodialysis treatment. Two forms of intervention were applied to participants, and then pain and heart rate variability were measured during the puncture. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences according to each treatment in vein pain and artery pain. Also, there were no statistically significant differences according to each treatment in stress index, sympathetic activity (LF), parasympathetic activity (HF) and sympathetic activity/parasympathetic activity (LF/HF ratio). Satisfaction with application of skin stimulation method was statistically higher than that of topical anesthetic cream application. CONCLUSION: This suggests that application of the skin stimulation method complements disadvantages of topical anesthetic cream application and demonstrates possibility of application as a nursing intervention method which can be conveniently used by nurses in clinical practice.