Stress-Ball Distraction for Pain and Anxiety During Painful Procedures in Critically Ill Patients

This study will examine whether using a small hand-held stress ball during painful procedures can help critically ill adult patients feel less pain and anxiety. Painful procedures may also temporarily increase heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. Participants will be randomly assigned, like flipping a coin, to one of two groups. One group will receive usual care during the procedure. The other group will receive usual care and will be asked to squeeze a stress ball as a distraction technique during the procedure. The study team will measure participants' pain and anxiety before, during, and 15 minutes after the procedure. The team will also record heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, procedure-related events, use of additional pain medicine or sedation, and satisfaction with care. The findings may help health care providers understand whether stress-ball distraction is a safe, simple, non-drug method for improving comfort during painful procedures in critically ill patients.