Effectiveness Of Video-Assisted Teaching on The Skin Tap Technique During Pentavac Injection: A Quasi-Experimental Study Among Nursing Students

Abstract

Pain management during paediatric vaccination is a crucial aspect of safe and compassionate nursing. In preschool and infant immunization, intramuscular injections like the PENTAVAC vaccine cause significant pain and anxiety. The Helfer Skin Tap Technique—a simple, non-invasive method based on the Gate Control Theory of Pain—has proven highly effective at reducing pain perception, yet widespread clinical application remains limited due to gaps in nursing training.

Objective: This study aimed to: (1) assess the pre-test knowledge regarding the Helfer skin tap technique on pain response during Pentavac injection among ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) students; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of a Video-Assisted Teaching Programme (VATP) by comparing pre-test and post-test knowledge scores; and (3) determine the association between pre-test knowledge scores and selected socio-demographic variables.

Methods: A quantitative, quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test research design was conducted at the Bora Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Lucknow, U.P. A sample of 60 ANM students was selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data collection tools included a demographic profile, the VATP instructional intervention, and a 29-item self-structured multiple-choice knowledge questionnaire evaluating the mechanics and clinical benefits of the skin tap technique.

Results: Baseline demographic characteristics (n = 60) revealed that the participating ANM students were highly homogenous: 91.7% were aged 17–22 years, 98.33% identified as Hindu, 91.7% resided in rural areas, and 93.33% were unmarried. Following the implementation of the Video-Assisted Teaching Programme, the post-test knowledge scores showed a statistically significant increase compared to the pre-test baseline scores (e.g., p<0.05 or p<0.001), confirming the high educational efficacy of visual training media. Furthermore, inferential statistical analysis indicated no statistically significant association (p>0.05) between the pre-test knowledge scores and key socio-demographic variables (such as age, rural/urban residence, or monthly income), demonstrating that baseline knowledge gaps were uniform across the entire student cohort.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates that a Video-Assisted Teaching Programme is highly effective in upgrading the clinical knowledge of ANM students regarding pediatric pain relief. Given the uniform lack of initial awareness across all demographic backgrounds, integrating visually targeted tools into core nursing curricula is essential to prepare front-line healthcare workers for implementing low-cost, non-pharmacological pain reduction strategies like the Helfer Skin Tap Technique in routine immunization drives.