Effect of Different Animal Interventions on Pain and Anxiety Levels Due to Port Catheter Needle Entry

This study was conducted to examine the effect of parrot, fish, and turtle therapies on procedural pain and anxiety levels associated with implantable venous port catheter needle insertion in patients receiving palliative care.

Pain and anxiety management are two symptoms that are quite challenging and important in cancer patients. Non-pharmacological methods are used alongside pharmacological methods to control pain and anxiety. This study was conducted to examine the effect of parrot, fish, and turtle therapies on procedural pain and anxiety levels associated with implantable venous port catheter needle insertion in patients receiving palliative care. The study was completed with a total of 120 individuals, including the parrot, fish, and turtle groups (n=30) and a control group. Before starting the study, all group participants completed a "Patient Information Form," and all participants in all groups completed the "Visual Analog Scale (VAS)" and "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-I (STAI-I)" before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the implantable venous port catheter needle insertion. Patients in the experimental groups were provided with live parrots, fish, or turtles to spend time with during the needle insertion. No intervention was performed on patients in the control group other than needle insertion and data collection.There was a statistically significant difference (p\<0.001) between the experimental groups and the control group in the mean scores of the total and subscale scores of the "VAS" and "STAI-I" after the port catheter needle insertion (post-test). no differences were found between the groups before port catheter needle insertion (pre-test) (p\>0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the mean scores of the total and subscale scores of the "VAS" and "STAI-I" for the experimental groups and the control group according to the measurement times within the groups (p\<0.001). Parrot, fish, and turtle therapies were found to be effective in reducing pain and anxiety levels in cancer patients receiving palliative care. Parrot therapy was determined to be the most effective in reducing pain and anxiety.