Video-based Education to Reduce Distress and Improve Understanding among Pediatric MRI Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study

Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of an educational video vs. standard of care in improving relaxation and procedural understanding among pediatric patients undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure.

Design and methods: This pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted in a large, urban academic children's hospital. Pediatric patients were randomized to receive either a 7-minute educational video or standard of care. Standardized surveys, which consisted of a 1-10 visual analog scale and open-ended questions were administered to patients to measure their level of relaxation, understanding of the procedure, and perceptions of the MRI education received. Bivariate statistics were used to compare changes in relaxation score and baseline understanding scores between study groups. Open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: A total of 50 pediatric patients completed the study. Improvements in relaxation scores and baseline procedural understanding scores were significantly higher among children 13-17 years of age who received the intervention compared to those that did not (P < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were noted in relaxation scores and procedural understanding scores among children < 13 years of age between study groups. A total of 26 patients, half from the control group and half from the intervention group responded to open-ended survey questions. Content analysis revealed that nearly all respondents perceived the educational video to increase their understanding of the MRI procedure.

Conclusions: Video-based education effectively improved the relaxation and procedural understanding of children 13-17 years of age undergoing a MRI.

Practice implications: Nurses may use video-based education to supplement existing MRI education among older children.