Teenagers undergoing immunisation programmes in the Island will find the experience less traumatic in future thanks to research by a Highlands College student and Jersey Electricity’s annual Christmas gift to Family Nursing & Home Care. In October this year results of a study carried out by Highlands’ Sian Creavy evaluating ‘the method of using music as a distraction in reducing children’s immunisation pain and thus improving their overall immunisation experience’ was published in the British Journal of School Nursing. Now FNHC’s School Team is adopting the practice following the gift of a Bluetooth speaker among £1,800 of equipment purchased by JE’s annual donation from funds saved not sending corporate Christmas cards.
This is the tenth year JE has made its Christmas donation to FNHC. As well as the speaker, the charity purchased a portable suction machine to help patients with obstructed airways due to chronic lung disease or neuromuscular conditions. Completing thsi year's list were 10 new large capacity medical bags to help nurses transport their equipment on house calls.
FNHC Fund Raising Manager Ivo Le Maistre Smith: ‘We are always grateful for Jersey Electricity’s Christmas donation which every year helps provide us with much needed equipment of benefit to the community.’
FNHC immunise around 2,000 Year 8 and 9 students in schools every year and Lead Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Jo Davies explained: ‘We commissioned the study which formed part of Sian’s dissertation. Though around 500 Year 8 girls underwent the HPV vaccination, the study involved 137. They were split into an experimental group who listened to music and a control group who did not. Questionnaires and mood boards were used to collect their thoughts and comments and to identify any other areas of improvement to the immunisation service FNHC provides. The results showed that those who listened to music were more likely to report higher levels of positive emotions and lower levels of negative emotions.’
As well as putting these findings into practice, Jo hopes FNHC will have other students undertake corporate research in future. ‘It will help the students with their studies and help us improve our services,’ said Jo. ‘But first we have to decide on a play list for this speaker.’
