Effectiveness of ICE Pack Application on Pain Reduction at Subcutaneous Heparin Injection Site Among Postoperative Patients in a Selected Hospital, Kanpur

MS. Neetika

College - LPS institute of cardiology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Assistant professor

ABSTRACT (Page 1):Subcutaneous administration of heparin is a widely used clinical intervention for the prevention of thromboembolic disorders in postoperative patients. Despite its therapeutic importance, patients frequently report pain, discomfort, and bruising at the injection site, which may negatively impact treatment adherence and overall patient experience. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of ice pack application in reducing pain at the site of subcutaneous heparin injection.A quantitative, quasi-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test research design was adopted. A total of 60 postoperative patients receiving subcutaneous heparin injections were selected through purposive sampling. Pain was assessed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. The intervention involved applying an ice pack at the injection site for 30 seconds prior to administration, for four consecutive days.The results revealed that there was no statistically significant reduction in pain on the first day (t = 0.15). However, from the second day onwards, a significant reduction in pain scores was observed (Day 2: t = 3.36; Day 3: t = 4.80; Day 4: t = 9.23), indicating the effectiveness of ice pack application.The study concludes that ice pack application is a simple, cost-effective, and efficient non-pharmacological nursing intervention for reducing pain associated with subcutaneous heparin injections.Keywords: Ice pack, Heparin injection, Pain management, Postoperative care, Nursing intervention