Effectiveness of ShotBlocker application on reducing the pain of needle-related procedures in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Needle-related procedures are quite common throughout life, especially during childhood. Pain caused by these procedures is the most common complication. ShotBlocker is an alternative non-pharmacological method to reduce pain during injection-related procedures. However, the effectiveness of the ShotBlocker application in children for reducing pain needle-related procedures remains unclear. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ShotBlocker application on pain during needle-related procedures in children from Randomized Controlled Trials. Eight electronic databases were searched until November 2023 for articles published in English. The methodological quality and evidence strength were appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool and the GRADE approach. A random-effects model was used to determine the effect of the ShotBlocker application on pain levels. The review included results involving assessments from the child, parents, and an observer in pain evaluation. A total of nine studies with 1205 children patients were included. The evaluation data showed that ShotBlocker application significantly reduced the pain caused by needle-related procedures in children. The Cochrane GRADE approach showed moderate level evidence for the effect of ShotBlocker application on pain during needle procedures. As a result of the studies included in this meta-analysis, it was determined that ShotBlocker application significantly reduced the pain caused by needle-related procedures in children. ShotBlocker, a non-pharmacological method, can be used by pediatric nurses to reduce pain during needle-related procedures in children. Randomized controlled studies with well-designed methods are needed to create strong evidence in this field. •This review was the first to evaluate the impact of the ShotBlocker application during needle-related procedures in children.•The ShotBlocker can be used as a non-pharmacological intervention to reduce pain during needle-related procedures in children.