Listening to children's voices is vital in pediatric practice and research.

Children's perspectives need to be reflected in clinical decision-making.

Parents play an essential role in comforting and relieving children's distress.

Interventions should include both parents and children to reduce negative effects.

The DWT is a valid method to listen to children's experiences of IV injection.

This study aimed to explore children's perceptions and experiences of receiving intravenous (IV) injections and the self-reported pain scores and management strategies that can support children while receiving IV injections.

This mixed-methods study included 17 children aged 4–11 years who presented to the outpatient clinic of a pediatric hospital and received IV injections. Data were collected using the draw, write, and tell method (DWT) and Facial Pain Rating Scale. Descriptive statistics and content analyses were performed.

The children's self-reported mean pain score was 4.82, indicating moderate pain. Many expressions indicated that IV injections were painful or caused tingling or stinging sensations. A vague fear of needles in addition to pain was identified after listening to the children and analyzing their own interpretation of drawings. Three main themes were identified: (1) physical and emotional experiences, (2) parents as my secure base, and (3) comfort and relief strategies.

Children expressed their experiences during IV injections, the alleviation of their pain and fear, and their suggestions for comfort and relief strategies visually, auditorily, and verbally. Parents played an important role in supporting their children and reducing pain, anxiety, and distress related to the IV procedure.

The DWT, as an arts-based and child-centered approach, is a useful and valid method to understand children's experience related to the IV injection. Children experience comfort and relief within a family-centered care context during IV injection. Nurses should promote children's and parents' participation in the development of strategies to reduce the negative effects of IV injections in children.

Child

Intravenous injections

Pain

Fear

Management

Parents

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