Consolation Effect of Medical Clown Care Model in Children with Inguinal Hernia During Perioperative Period: A Single-Center Study in China

Background: Due to differences in medical backgrounds, there have been few studies on medical clown care in Chinese hospitals. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the consolatory effect of the medical clown care model on children in a Chinese hospital. Methods: This study included 236 children aged 4 - 6 years and divided them into an intervention group (n = 116) and a control group (n = 120). The control group received routine nursing measures, while the intervention group experienced the medical clown care model. To assess the children’s pain levels and the anxiety levels of their parents, the Face Legs Activity Cry and Consolability (FLACC) Scale, Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (W-B FPS-R), and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were used. Results: The baseline data for both groups were comparable at admission (P > 0.05). The FLACC score, W-B FPS-R score, and crying rate in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group (4.81 vs 6.71, 4.69 vs 7.02, 44.83 % vs 79.16 %, P < 0.05). Parents in the intervention group also had lower preoperative anxiety scores compared to those in the control group (42.85 vs 52.69, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the postoperative pain incidence and drug use rates were significantly lower in the intervention group (18.97 % vs 30.83 %, 27.27 % vs 56.76 %, P < 0.05). Compliance and satisfaction were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The application of the clown care model can effectively reduce children's pain, provide consolation, and relieve parental anxiety.