scholarly journals Child life specialists' perspectives on collaboration with schools

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Pershick
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Psychosocial Services ◽  
Paediatric Patients ◽  
Transitional Phase

As paediatric patients transition from the hospital environment, there is a lack to programs and supports to assist in this transitional phase. The child life specialist plays a unique role within the interprofessional team of professionals in the hospital. They provide paediatric patients and their families with psychosocial services such as age and developmentally appropriate coping mechanisms. A mixed-method study was conducted through qualitative semi-structured interviews, and a survey to explore how child life managers and frontline child life specialists perceived their role expanding outside of the hospital. five themes emerged from questions asked in the interviews and surveys. These themes include: role perceptions, collaboration with health care professionals, collaboration with school professionals, challenges to collaboration and recommendations for the role expansion. From these five themes, thirteen sub-themes emerged spontaneously. The findings of this research study indicate that there is a consensus from both child life managers and specialists on the value of expanding their role beyond the hospital. although considered an essential service in some hospitals, further steps need to be taken to ensure child life specialists feel that their services are validated in the hospitals.

scholarly journals Child life specialists' perspectives on collaboration with schools

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Pershick
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Psychosocial Services ◽  
Paediatric Patients ◽  
Transitional Phase

As paediatric patients transition from the hospital environment, there is a lack to programs and supports to assist in this transitional phase. The child life specialist plays a unique role within the interprofessional team of professionals in the hospital. They provide paediatric patients and their families with psychosocial services such as age and developmentally appropriate coping mechanisms. A mixed-method study was conducted through qualitative semi-structured interviews, and a survey to explore how child life managers and frontline child life specialists perceived their role expanding outside of the hospital. five themes emerged from questions asked in the interviews and surveys. These themes include: role perceptions, collaboration with health care professionals, collaboration with school professionals, challenges to collaboration and recommendations for the role expansion. From these five themes, thirteen sub-themes emerged spontaneously. The findings of this research study indicate that there is a consensus from both child life managers and specialists on the value of expanding their role beyond the hospital. although considered an essential service in some hospitals, further steps need to be taken to ensure child life specialists feel that their services are validated in the hospitals.

scholarly journals Implementation of a Humanoid Robot as an Innovative Approach to Child Life Interventions in a Children’s Hospital: Lofty Goal or Tangible Reality?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya N. Beran ◽  
Jacqueline Reynolds Pearson ◽  
Bonnie Lashewicz
Keyword(s):  
Humanoid Robot ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Innovative Approach ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Lofty Goal

IntroductionThis study reports the findings on how Child life specialists (CLSs) implemented an innovative approach to providing therapeutic support to pediatric patients.MethodsPart of a larger study that uncovered themes about CLSs’ experiences while working with MEDi®, this study reports the reflections that CLSs have about the process of implementation. Seven CLSs participated in semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was conducted on interview data and three themes were generated.ResultsThe first was in regards to the adoption process whereby CLS challenges, successes, and surprises were revealed. Second, CLSs explained how using MEDi® aligned with the roles and responsibilities of their profession. The third area of understanding was in CLS explanation of the friendly emotional impact MEDi® seems to have on the hospital environment.ConclusionChild life specialists are encouraged to use the MEDi® robot to support children at the bedside.

scholarly journals Connecting home and hospital life : cultural influence in child life practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E Butterly
Keyword(s):  
Large City ◽  
Psychosocial Care ◽  
Cultural Influence ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Culturally Responsive Practices ◽  
Resource Needs ◽  
Barriers And Challenges ◽  
The Individual

The changing demographics of illness necessitate the provision of complex care practices designed to meet the individual needs of families from diverse backgrounds. Providing psychosocial care to paediatric patients, child life specialists integrate processes designed to better understand their patients, thus informing their plans of care. Through the use of Grounded Theory, this study involves 7 child life specialists from a large city in Ontario and explores the processes implemented by child life specialists in getting to know their patients and families. Data obtained from semi-structured interviews and a reflective journaling exercise was examined for evidence of cultural influence and a greater understanding of child life specialists' perceived comfort and ability was explored. The results of this study suggest child life specialists engage in culturally responsive practices, however several barriers and challenges exist. Resource needs are identified and implications for practice are examined.

Child Life Programs

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-673
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Family Involvement ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Child Life Specialist ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
Inpatient Settings

Child life programs have become the standard in pediatric settings to address the psychosocial concerns that accompany hospitalization and medical care. Child life specialists facilitate coping and the adjustment of children and families by providing play experiences, presenting information about events and procedures, and establishing supportive relationships with children and parents to encourage family involvement in each child's medical care. These activities are shared by other members of the health care team. The role of the child life specialist, however, is unique because it combines each of these services as the primary duty. The child life specialist focuses on the strengths and health of children.1 Most major hospitals for children have child life programs, and the number of these has doubled since 1965. The patient-to-staff ratio should not exceed 15 patients to 1 child life specialist. Child life or similar services should be offered by all hospitals. Most child life specialists work in inpatient settings, but they are increasingly serving outpatient populations. Certification of child life specialists is available through the Child Life Certifying Commission, which was established in 1986. PLAY Play is the core of the child life program. Play activities are offered both in group settings and individual sessions. Play opportunities in health care settings communicate a respect for and understanding of children. Play helps eliminate the distinction between the comfortable and familiar setting outside the hospital and the foreign and intimidating hospital environment. Play contributes to the child's adjustment in several important ways. By providing age-appropriate activities, the possibility that hospitalization may disrupt normal development is minimized.

Child Life Specialists and Nonpharmacologic Interventions

2018 ◽  
pp. 367-380
Author(s):  
Laura Mitchell ◽  
Christine Tatem
Keyword(s):  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Medical Procedure ◽  
Parental Presence ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The One ◽  
Appropriate Education

This chapter discusses the role of the child life specialist in the multidisciplinary pediatric sedation team and the various nonpharmacologic techniques that may be used to attenuate the fear, anxiety, and pain responses of children undergoing procedural care. Child life specialists are an integral component of the sedation team. Their assessments can help the team develop a plan of care, and they offer insight into how to provide developmentally appropriate education as well as psychosocial and emotional support to pediatric patients and their families. Nonpharmacologic techniques that have been shown to be effective in reducing pain and anxiety for children undergoing medical procedure include setting up the environment, parental presence, positioning for comfort, and distraction. Considerations for infants are also discussed. The chapter includes a table of appropriate language to use with children and another with a summary of age-appropriate distraction techniques. The ONE VOICE© model is included as a reference for practitioners to use in daily practice.

Health Care Professionals' Perceptions of Child Life Specialists

2001 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Cole ◽  
Marissa Diener ◽  
Cheryl Wright ◽  
Laura Gaynard
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Child Life Specialists

scholarly journals Paediatric radiology from a psychosocial lens

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Sharbaugh ◽  
Karen Van Zijl ◽  
Emily Beauchemin ◽  
Catherine Boland
Keyword(s):  
Child Life ◽  
Paediatric Radiology ◽  
Emotional Needs ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Psychosocial Services ◽  
History Of ◽  
Paediatric Imaging ◽  
Medical Examinations ◽  
Future Status

Globally, hospitals and medical centres have a reputation of causing individual patients an increased level of anxiety, stress and pain owing to their foreign environments, intimidating examinations and rigorous treatments. Because of children’s cognitive and developmental levels of understanding and communication, they are more susceptible to increased levels of stress and trauma associated with medical examinations and hospitalisation. Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLSs) are professionals trained in child development and family systems expertise who work directly with children and families to meet their psychosocial and emotional needs in order to help them overcome some of life’s most challenging events, including hospitalisation, illness and trauma. This article aims to address the history of the child life profession and the significance of child life in a paediatric imaging unit, and to discuss the current and future status of psychosocial services in South Africa.

scholarly journals Connecting home and hospital life : cultural influence in child life practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E Butterly
Keyword(s):  
Large City ◽  
Psychosocial Care ◽  
Cultural Influence ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Culturally Responsive Practices ◽  
Resource Needs ◽  
Barriers And Challenges ◽  
The Individual

The changing demographics of illness necessitate the provision of complex care practices designed to meet the individual needs of families from diverse backgrounds. Providing psychosocial care to paediatric patients, child life specialists integrate processes designed to better understand their patients, thus informing their plans of care. Through the use of Grounded Theory, this study involves 7 child life specialists from a large city in Ontario and explores the processes implemented by child life specialists in getting to know their patients and families. Data obtained from semi-structured interviews and a reflective journaling exercise was examined for evidence of cultural influence and a greater understanding of child life specialists' perceived comfort and ability was explored. The results of this study suggest child life specialists engage in culturally responsive practices, however several barriers and challenges exist. Resource needs are identified and implications for practice are examined.

scholarly journals Women, Exercise, and Eating Disorder Recovery: The Normal and the Pathological

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232199204
Author(s):  
Hester Hockin-Boyers ◽  
Megan Warin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Theoretical Frame ◽  
Intensity Of Exercise

The appropriate form, regularity, and intensity of exercise for individuals recovering from eating disorders is not agreed upon among health care professionals or researchers. When exercise is permitted, it is that which is mindful, embodied, and non-competitive that is considered normative. Using Canguilhem’s concepts of “the normal and the pathological” as a theoretical frame, we examine the gendered assumptions that shape medical understandings of “healthy” and “dysfunctional” exercise in the context of recovery. The data set for this article comes from longitudinal semi-structured interviews with 19 women in the United Kingdom who engaged in weightlifting during their eating disorder recovery. We argue that women in recovery navigate multiple and conflicting value systems regarding exercise. Faced with aspects of exercise that are pathologized within the eating disorder literature (such as structure/routine, body transformations, and affect regulation), women re-inscribe positive value to these experiences, thus establishing exercise practices that serve them.

scholarly journals Implementation of Person-Centered Care: A Feasibility Study Using the WE-CARE Roadmap

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2205
Author(s):  
Roman A. Lewandowski ◽  
Jędrzej B. Lewandowski ◽  
Inger Ekman ◽  
Karl Swedberg ◽  
Jan Törnell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Rehabilitation Hospital ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Multi Disciplinary Team

Background: Person-Centered Care (PCC) is a promising approach towards improved quality of care and cost containment within health systems. It has been evaluated in Sweden and England. This feasibility study examines initial PCC implementation in a rehabilitation hospital for children in Poland. Methods: The WE-CARE Roadmap of enablers was used to guide implementation of PCC for patients with moderate scoliosis. A multi-disciplinary team of professionals were trained in the PCC approach and the hospital Information Technology (IT) system was modified to enhance PCC data capture. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the nine health care professionals involved in the pilot study and three patients/parents receiving care. Transcribed data were analyzed via content analysis. Results: 51 patients and their families were treated via a PCC approach. High proportions of new PCC data fields were completed by the professionals. The professionals were able to implement the three core PCC routines and perceived benefits using the PCC approach. Patients and their families also perceived improved quality care. The WE-CARE framework enablers facilitated PCC implementation in this setting. Conclusions: This feasibility pilot study indicates that the Gothenburg PCC approach can be successfully transferred to a rehabilitation hospital in Poland with favorable perceptions of implementation by both professionals and patients/their families.

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