Effects of White Noise Combined with Sensory Stimulation Nursing on Compliance and Stress Response in Young Children Undergoing Rigid Nasopharyngoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of white noise combined with sensory stimulation nursing on compliance and stress response in young children undergoing rigid nasopharyngoscopy examination. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 400 children aged 2-6 years who underwent rigid nasopharyngoscopy at our hospital between June 2023 and June 2024. The patients were stratified into a white noise and sensory stimulation nursing group (n = 200) or standard nursing group (n = 200) in accordance with the nursing care protocol implemented during their examination period. Outcome measures included procedural restraint assessed by the procedural restraint intensity in children (PRIC) scale, salivary cortisol levels, heart rate variability parameters and behavioural distress assessed by the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scale. Parental satisfaction was evaluated using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-18). RESULTS: Baseline characteristics demonstrated intergroup equivalence (P > 0.05). Compared with the standard nursing group, the white noise and sensory stimulation nursing group showed significantly better compliance with lower PRIC scores (P < 0.001), reduced salivary cortisol levels (P < 0.001), improved heart rate variability parameters (P < 0.001), significantly lower behavioural distress scores on the FLACC scale (P < 0.001), shorter examination time (P < 0.001) and higher PSQ-18 satisfaction scores (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our retrospective analysis suggests that white noise combined with sensory stimulation nursing may be associated with reduced procedural restraint and stress response in young children undergoing rigid nasopharyngoscopy, representing a potential non-pharmacological approach for paediatric procedural anxiety management.