The effect of colored masks used in pediatric emergency clinics on children's pain perception: Randomized controlled study.

Objectives: This study was conducted in a randomized controlled manner to examine the effect of colored surgical masks used by nurses in pediatric emergency clinics on children's pain perception.

Methods: The study included 81 children aged 1-3 years who applied to the pediatric emergency clinic of a State Hospital located in a province in eastern Turkey. Data were collected using the 'Personal Information Form' and the 'Facial Expression, Leg Movement, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Pain Assessment Tool' to measure the level of pain perception. During the vascular access procedure, colored surgical masks were used in the experimental group, while white surgical masks were used in the control group. Children's pain was assessed based on nurse observations. Independent samples t-test and ANOVA were employed to assess the data. The results were evaluated with a 95% confidence interval and a significance level of p<0.05.

Results: It was observed that in the white mask group, 35% of the children were 1 year old and 35% were 3 years old. In the colored mask group, 46.3% of the children were 2 years old. Furthermore, 52.5% of the children in the white mask group and 31.7% in the colored mask group were girls. The total mean score of the 'FLACC' scale was 8.92±1.526 in the white mask group and 4.73±2.721 in the colored mask group.

Conclusion: The use of colored surgical masks by nurses during vascular access in children aged 1-3 years was found to be effective in reducing children's pain perception.