Purpose
This study investigates the effects of thermomechanical stimulation intervention during arteriovenous fistula puncture on hemodialysis patients’ pain, anxiety, and stress. Methods: We used a nonequivalent groups pretest-posttest experimental design. In this study, 44 patients on regular hemodialysis (22 each in experimental and control groups) at a general hospital in South Korea were enrolled from December 2020 to January 2021.Subsequently, thermomechanical stimulation intervention using the Buzzy device was applied to the experimental group during arteriovenous fistula puncture. The outcome measures were the patients’ pain, anxiety, and stress.
Results
After the intervention, the experimental group recorded significantly lower arteriovenous fistula puncture pain compared to the control group (t=2.90, p=.006). However, no significant differences in anxiety and stress were noted before and after the intervention between the groups.
Conclusion
The study indicates that thermomechanical stimulation intervention can be utilized as an easy and effective intervention method to reduce the puncture pain experienced by patients on hemodialysis during arteriovenous fistula puncture.

Citations

• Effects of an intervention combining warm therapy with a digital distraction app on pain, stress, and satisfaction during intravenous catheterization in South Korea: a randomized controlled trial
  Jae-Kyeum Lee, Ki-Yong Kim, Yean-Hee Jeong, Yu-Jin Lee, Min-Ho Lee, Myung-Haeng Hur
  Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science.2025; 27(2): 191.     CrossRef
• Effects of a thermoelectric element tourniquet on venipuncture pain and stress relief in Korea: a randomized controlled trial
  Tae Jung Lee, Jihoo Her, Myung-Haeng Hur
  Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science.2025; 27(2): 179.     CrossRef
• Thermoelectric tourniquet–assisted thermotherapy and cryotherapy for pain, regional blood flow, and satisfaction with intravenous injections among hospitalized patients in Korea: a randomized controlled trial
  Seon-Mi Lee, Myung-Haeng Hur
  Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science.2024; 26(4): 323.     CrossRef
• Effect of aromatherapy on quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  Cong Zhang, Hang Mu, Yong-Fang Yang, Yong Zhang, Wen-Jun Gou
  Renal Failure.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Juan Bi Tang, a traditional Chinese medicine, for alleviating pain related to arteriovenous fistula in maintenance hemodialysis patients: An interventional pilot study with brief review
  Yung-Tang Hsu, Yung-Hsiang Chen, Chung-Ming Fu, Wen-Chin Lee, Ming-Yen Tsai
  Medicine.2023; 102(45): e35974.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
Regarding the respiratory function of patients with an artificial airway, this study compared the effects between normal saline with chest vibration and normal saline with expectorant mixture, administered before endotracheal suction.
METHODS
The study was conducted in the ICUs of one university hospital located in Incheon. The experimental group I received normal saline with chest vibration administered before endotracheal suction while the experimental group II received normal saline with expectorant mixture administered before endotracheal suction. For respiratory function, PaO2, PaCO2, and O2 saturation were measured by ABGA at 3 minutes after endotracheal suction for both pre-test and post-test.
RESULTS
The two groups were not different significantly regarding PaO2 level and O2 saturation after the treatments, while, the experimental group II had lower PaCO2 level than the experimental group I after the treatments (t = 2.075, p = .042). For experimental group II, post-test score of PaCO2 level was significantly lower than that of the pre-test score (t = 1.842, p = .075).
CONCLUSION
The administration of normal saline with expectorant mixture before endotracheal suction reduced PaCO2 level and improved the respiratory function.