The Power of Topical Anesthetics and Distraction for Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Placement in the Pediatric Perianesthesia Area.

Placing a peripheral intravenous catheter is a painful procedure and produces much anxiety for the pediatric patient, as well as for their parents and nursing staff. There is a heightened need for having effective pain control during this process, which will lead to increased cooperation and decreased anxiety for the patient, making the placement of a peripheral intravenous catheter successful. Topical analgesics and distraction are powerful tools that can make inserting a peripheral intravenous catheter easier for the patient, and also easier for a nurse with limited pediatric experience. The purpose of this article is to educate nursing staff of the importance of using topical analgesics such as LMX4 and EMLA, needle free lidocaine injections, as well as different methods of distraction to successfully place a peripheral intravenous catheter in a pediatric patient on first attempt.