Effect of Guided Imagery Relaxation Session and Story-Telling on the Intensity of Nausea and Vomiting Among Children Undergoing Chemotherapy

Abstract

The aims of this study were to develop, implement, and evaluate the effect of a guided imagery relaxation session and telling stories on reducing the intensity of nausea and vomiting, as well as make comparisons between the 2 methods.The study used a quasi-experimental design and was conducted at the Pediatric Oncology Department in Tanta University Hospital, the Pediatric Oncology Department in the Tanta Oncology Center, and the Pediatric Oncology Department in the Specialized Pediatric Hospital in Benha University. The study included a convenience sample of 90 children aged between 4 and 18 years receiving chemotherapy. They were classified randomly into 3 groups; the guided imagery relaxation sessions were the first group, story-telling was the second group, and the third group was the control group. The first and second groups were assessed at the first and second months of intervention.Tools of this study included the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis Questionnaire, the Rhodes Index of Nausea and Vomiting Likert scale, the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living checklist, and a self-rating scale.The results showed that approximately all children in the relaxation and story-telling groups did not have nausea and vomiting compared with the control group after the first and second months of relaxation and story-telling.The study concluded that children exposed to guided imagery relaxation sessions and story- telling experienced a lower intensity of nausea and vomiting compared with children in the control group. This study therefore recommends that guided imagery relaxation sessions and story-telling should be integrated into routine nursing care along with pharmacologic interventions for the management of nausea and vomiting for these children. Future research is needed to develop and update other forms of relaxation techniques.