<![CDATA[Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) cannulation is a routine procedure for hemodialysis patients that often causes pain, which can compromise patient comfort. One nonpharmacological intervention that can be used to reduce pain is the Valsalva maneuver. This study aimed to determine the effect of the Valsalva maneuver on the level of pain during AVF cannulation in hemodialysis patients at Diponegoro Dua Satu General Hospital in Klaten. This study used a quasi-experimental post-test-only control group design. The study was conducted over one weeks in the Dialysis Unit at Diponegoro Dua Satu General Hospital in Klaten. The population consisted of 88 patients, with a sample of 42 respondents selected using purposive sampling, comprising 21 in the intervention group and 21 in the control group. The instruments included a questionnaire on respondent characteristics, the Valsalva maneuver standard operating procedure (SOP), and a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) observation sheet. Data analysis utilized the Shapiro-Wilk normality test and the independent t-test. The majority of respondents were male, employed, and had been on hemodialysis for 1–5 years. In the control group, most experienced moderate pain (57.1%), while in the intervention group, the majority experienced mild pain (76.2%). The results of the independent t-test showed a statistically significant difference in the level of AVF cannulation pain between the two groups (p-value = 0.001). The Valsalva maneuver is effective as a nonpharmacological intervention for reducing the level of AVF cannulation pain.]]>
