A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HELFER SKIN TAP TECHNIQUE ON THE LEVEL OF PAIN REDUCTION DURING INTRA MUSCULAR INJECTION AMONG ORTHOPAEDIC PATIENT OF PANDIT DEEN DAYAL UPADHYAYA (CORONATION) GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL DEHRADUN UTTARAKHAND

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional feeling accompanying existing or impending tissue damages or reference to such damage.According to WHO annual report more than 16 billion IM injections are administered throughout the word.

Aim: This study is intended to determine the effectiveness of Helfer skin tap technique on the level of pain reduction during IM injection among orthopedic patient of PanditDeenDayalUpadhaya (Coronation)Government Hospital, Dehradun Uttarakhand.

Methodology: An experimental approach with cross-over design was adopted for the study. The study samples were orthopedic patients who receiving IM diclofenac injection. There were 50 subjects that fulfill the inclusion and exclusion criteria are divided into two experimental groups (25 samples in each groups) by simple random sampling technique. The pain level was assessed by universal numerical pain rating scale .The pain level with the administration of intramuscular injection by Helfer skin tap technique was compared with a pain level with conventional Technique.

Result:The result shows that in experimental group I majority of sample 52%perceived mild pain with Helfer skin tap technique whereas with majority of samples 64% perceived moderate pain with conventional technique. The mean pain score with Helfer skin tap technique was 3.88 was less than conventional technique 5.32.The obtained t value was 3.80 was significant at p<0.05 level of significance.Inexperimental group II majority of sample 64% perceived mild pain with Helfer skin tap technique whereas with majority of samples 68% perceived moderate pain with conventional technique. The mean pain score with Helfer skin tap technique was 3.52 was less than conventional technique 5.16.The obtained t value was 5.479 was significant at p<0.05 level of significance In period I the mean pain score using Helfer skin tap technique in experimental group I 3.88 was less than mean pain score of conventional technique in experimental group II 5.15.the obtained t value was found statistically significant at p<0.05 level. In period II the mean pain score using Helfer skin tap technique 3.52 was less than the mean pain scores of conventional technique 5.32.the obtained t value 4.5 was statistically significant at p<0.05 level of significance. There was no significant association found between level of pain during intramuscular injection with selected demographic variables. The overall result shows that Helfer skin tap technique was helpful in reducing the level of pain during intramuscular injection among orthopedic patients.