Clinical Research Directory

Therapeutic Holding Versus Traditional Restraint During Pediatric Venipuncture

This study will compare therapeutic holding with traditional restraint during blood-draw venipuncture in children aged 3 to 6 years. The study will include 64 children who require venous blood sampling for routine diagnostic testing. Children will be assigned to one of two groups using a predetermined non-random allocation method. In the therapeutic holding group, the child will sit upright on a parent's or caregiver's lap in a chest-to-chest straddle position. The caregiver will hold the child securely and comfortably while the arm used for venipuncture is safely stabilized. In the traditional restraint group, the child will lie on their back and receive the usual physical stabilization used during venipuncture by a parent, nurse, or assistant. The study will assess children's behavioral distress, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation before, during, and after venipuncture. It will also record whether blood collection is successful on the first needle insertion and the total number of attempts needed. The purpose of the study is to determine whether therapeutic holding is associated with lower behavioral distress, greater stability of vital signs, and a higher rate of successful first-stick venipuncture compared with traditional restraint.