Experience and nursing needs of school-age children undergoing lumbar puncture during the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a descriptive and qualitative study

Aims and objectives To describe experiences and nursing needs of school-age Chinese children undergoing lumbar puncture for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Background Lumbar puncture is an invasive procedure, causing psychological changes and physical discomfort in patients. In a previous study, it was proved that distraction intervention, such as music therapy, relieves pain and anxiety. There is limited evidence regarding the experience and needs of school-age children during lumbar puncture after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. To minimise their anxiety and pain during the procedure, it is important to collect information directly from these children. Design A descriptive qualitative research. Methods Twenty-one school-age children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia participated in semi-structured interviews at a Children's Hospital in China. Data were collected by an experienced and trained interviewer. Qualitative content analysis was chosen to describe experiences of children undergoing lumbar puncture. Results While undergoing lumbar puncture for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, school-age Chinese children experienced complex psychological feelings (fear, tension, helplessness, sadness and anxiety). They also experienced physical discomfort. They had multipolar needs, such as information, communication, respect, self-actualisation, environment and equipment. Conclusions This study identified important areas that must be closely monitored by healthcare staff, performing lumbar puncture on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia children. Thus, a successful and smooth procedure can be performed on these patients, and their quality of life can be improved. Relevance to clinical practice The experiences described in this study contribute to a better understanding of the needs of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia children undergoing lumbar puncture. They also provide valuable information to professional medical care staff that develops future nursing assessments.