THE EFFECT OF STRESS BALL USE APPLIED BY EMERGENCY NURSES DURING SWABBING PROCEDURE ON THE PAIN AND FEAR LEVELS OF CHILDREN ADMITTED TO THE PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICE WITH THE SUSPICION OF COVID-19: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the effect of stress ball use during the swabbing procedure on the pain and fear levels of children admitted to the pediatric emergency department with the suspicion of coronavirus disease 2019. Children with suspected coronavirus disease 2019 were recruited by convenience sampling from the pediatric emergency department of a university hospital in a city in Turkey. Methods: This study used a random controlled experimental design and had a calculated sample size of 60. There were 30 participants in both the control and experimental groups. The stress ball intervention was applied to the children in the experimental group during the swabbing process, and no intervention was made to the children in the control group during the procedure. The pain and fear levels of the children in the control and experimental groups were measured during the swabbing process. "Descriptive Characteristics Form for Parents and Children," "Wong -Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale," "Children's Fear Scale," and "Stress Ball" were used in data collection. Chi-square, Mann -Whitney U, and Friedman tests were used in the analysis. Results: Although there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of pain and fear level mean scores before the procedure, a statistically significant difference was found between the groups during and after the procedures (P < .05). Discussion: Giving a stress ball to children aged 4 to 10 years during the swabbing procedure was determined to reduce the pain and fear levels during and after the procedures. It is recommended that stress ball use be applied during the swabbing procedure for children.