Research in nursing & health
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of preoperative therapeutic play on outcomes of school-age children undergoing day surgery.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of therapeutic play on outcomes of children undergoing day surgery. Two hundred and three children admitted for day surgery were invited to participate in a randomized controlled trial. ⋯ No significant differences were found between the two groups in postoperative pain. The study provides some evidence that therapeutic play is effective in pre- as opposed to postsurgical management of children.