N. Vilarasau Creus

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Master thesis (1)

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Improving children's experience during blood drawing procedure

Master thesis (2018) - Núria Vilarasau Creus , Richard Goossens , Bob Groeneveld , Helena Illera Massana

This project aims at improving the experience of children during blood drawing procedure at Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital.
Blood test is a procedure that creates stress and anxiety for patients, and it can result in a very traumatic experience for children. This brings other issues that make the blood draw more complicated, therefore, it is important to reduce their fear and anxiety.
A design for experience approach was used to carry out the project, which focuses on the experience of the user and involves the patients and stakeholders in the design process in order to design a relevant solution for them.
The final design proposal consists in a story around the blood drawing procedure. The key purpose of the story is to change the meaning of the blood test into something positive and to give support throughout the process, by giving them some tools to cope with anxiety and fear. This should reduce the need to force and restrain the patients.
The story gives a challenge to the children to complete all the steps of the blood test to get a Superkid badge. Each step involves an element that brings physical and mental benefits. These are thought to strengthen the kid’s confidence, help them to take initiative and to relax.
Reducing the fear and anxiety of patients makes the blood drawing procedure smoother and faster. From the patient’s point of view, this will result in a more positive experience and a less traumatizing event. From the parent’s perspective, this would also improve their experience and create a less stressful situation, which would make them gain reliability on the hospital. From the professional’s perspective, the procedure would be easier and smoother. If the patient doesn’t offer resistance, it would be easier to find the vein and poke correctly. Time and workload savings would result in a reduction in delays and a smoother patient flow, which is beneficial for the hospital. A better experience of the patients (and parents) would also result in a higher patient satisfaction, which leads to financial benefits.