Assessing the Effectiveness of Helfer Skin Tap Technique on Pain Reduction among Children Undergoing Intramuscular Vaccination in FLACC Numerical Pain Scale

Introduction: Intra muscular vaccination is complex technique used to deliver vaccines among children deep into the large muscles of the body. Pain at injection site is one of the most commonly-reported local reactions associated with administration of a vaccine. It is more painful when combination of more than two vaccines injected at a time among children. Pain management in invasive procedure is a challenge to the nurse. Hence, complementary therapy like Helfer skin tap technique has its own significance and provides a mechanical stimulation and distraction during intramuscular vaccination and thus helps to decrease pain as described by gate control theory which keeps the muscles relaxed while administering IM injection. Objective: A study to assess the effectiveness of Helfer skin taps technique on pain reduction among children undergoing intramuscular vaccination at district hospital Waidhan, Singrauli. Method: The study involved quasi experimental posttest only design with non-probability purposive sampling method. The data was collected from 60 Children’s undergoing intramuscular vaccination. Intervention: In Helfer skin tap technique Intramuscular vaccination is done by tapping to the injection site by using palmer aspect of the hand about three times and inserting the needle without the feeling of pain and removing the needle by tapping the area again three times. Tools: Standardized FLACC 0-10 numerical pain scale used to assess the pain reduction among children undergoing intramuscular vaccination. Results: The data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study shows using standard technique in control group 27 children had moderate pain (90%), 3 children had severe pain (10%) while in experimental group 17 had moderate pain (57%), 8 had severe pain (26%) and 5 had mild pain (17%). Analysis among experimental group by using paired‘t’ test found significant value 5.94 at p<0.05 level. The study shows that after the procedure observation intramuscular vaccination is less painful in experimental group as compare to control group among children. Interpretation & Conclusion: The study shows that Helfer skin tap technique was more effective on pain reduction undergoing intramuscular vaccination than the usual standard technique used among children.