Effect of the use of Buzzy during phlebotomy on pain and individual satisfaction in blood donors

Abstract

Phlebotomy causes pain and discomfort to adults. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of Buzzy on phlebotomy satisfaction and pain relating to the phlebotomy process in healthy adult blood donors voluntarily donating blood. This was a prospective, randomised, controlled experimental study. The research sample was made up of 90 healthy adult men. These individuals were randomly assigned to an experimental group (Buzzy group), a placebo control group, and a nonintervention control group. For the individuals in the experimental group, the ice wings of the Buzzy device, frozen solid in the refrigerator, were placed approximately 5 centimeters above the intervention site from 1 minute before the procedure until the end of the needle location process. When the device was operated, it applied vibration and cold to the site: For individuals in the placebo control group, the Buzzy device was also located approximately 5 centimeters above the intervention site from 1 minute before the procedure until the end of the needle location process, but with the ice wings at room temperature (unfrozen) and with the vibration switch remaining off. For the nonintervention control group, no intervention was implemented before the procedure. Immediately after entry to the vein, pain levels and levels of phlebotomy satisfaction were assessed in individuals in all groups. A statistically significant difference was determined between the mean pain and phlebotomy satisfaction scores of individuals in the experimental and control groups (p < .05). Results indicate that use of the Buzzy device was an effective method of reducing the pain of phlebotomy and increasing phlebotomy satisfaction in healthy adult male blood donors.