ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Children in the intensive care unit experience a high level of pain and anxiety. This study aimed to reveal the health care providers experience of non-pharmacological pain and anxiety management and its barriers in the pediatric intensive care unit. METHODS: This qualitative-descriptive study was conducted with thirteen nurses and five physicians in the pediatric intensive care unit in Iran. Individual, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted, which were analyzed by conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Five main categories were identified from data analysis: 1) The importance of parents' presence, 2) Disturbance in the presence of parents and communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, 3) Choosing non-pharmacological approaches according to the child's interests and conditions, 4) Building trust in the child through non-pharmacological interventions 5) Barriers to non-pharmacological pain and anxiety management in the pediatric intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: Health care providers implement some non-pharmacological methods to manage pain and anxiety in the pediatric intensive care unit. Facilitating the open presence of parents, using innovative methods to communicate with children, and training and psychological support for nurses and parents, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic are recommended.