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 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.

The contamination of trauma. Traumatized minds, broken families and dysfunctional work groups: Organizational and interpersonal dynamics in complex child welfare court proceedings

2021 ◽  
pp. 053331642110150
Author(s):  
Stuart Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Work Groups ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Organizational Dynamics ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
History Of ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Court Proceedings

Professional work groups engaging with traumatized and dysfunctional families are presented with a disproportionate challenge to an already inevitably painful process that can be an obstacle to balanced decision-making in the children’s best interests. Trauma, abuse and neglect can influence the professional culture that condenses around these families. This occurs more often with the most challenging families with a possible history of professional failure resulting in professional conflict, impulsive and poor decision-making due to the occasions that these destructive dynamics have become unmanageable. Serious case reviews into the deaths of children regularly outline professional failures relating to a breakdown in communication within the professional system and essential and potential lifesaving information having been lost or failing to have been acted upon. The ability to understand complex group and organizational dynamics and the ability to manage relationships with traumatized adults and children, as well as within traumatized work groups is, therefore, an essential skill set for professionals working with the most vulnerable children and families. This article explores trauma and its impact on a work group and why this process was disturbed by uncontained anxiety resulting in professional conflict.

The Kurds as parties to and victims of conflicts in Iraq

2007 ◽  
Vol 89 (868) ◽  
pp. 823-842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inga Rogg ◽  
Hans Rimscha
Keyword(s):  
Arab World ◽  
Kurdistan Region ◽  
Peaceful Settlement ◽  
History Of ◽  
Self Rule ◽  
Uncertain Future ◽  
Kurdish Question ◽  
National Reconciliation ◽  
Future Status ◽  
Rare Opportunity

AbstractAfter decades of fighting and suffering, the Kurds in Iraq have achieved far-reaching self-rule. Looking at the history of conflicts and alliances between the Kurds and their counterparts inside Iraq and beyond its borders, the authors find that the region faces an uncertain future because major issues like the future status of Kirkuk remain unsolved. A federal and democratic Iraq offers a rare opportunity for a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish question in Iraq – and for national reconciliation. While certain groups and currents in Iraq and the wider Arab world have to overcome the notion that federalism equals partition, the Kurds can only dispel fears about their drive for independence if they fully reintegrate into Iraq and show greater commitment to democratic reforms in the Kurdistan Region.

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 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 Pain in Children: Assessment and Nonpharmacological Management

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasha Srouji ◽  
Savithiri Ratnapalan ◽  
Suzan Schneeweiss
Keyword(s):  
Pain Management ◽  
Pain Assessment ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Developmental Level ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
Pain Assessment Scales ◽  
Assessment Scales

Pain perception in children is complex, and is often difficult to assess. In addition, pain management in children is not always optimized in various healthcare settings, including emergency departments. A review of pain assessment scales that can be used in children across all ages, and a discussion of the importance of pain in control and distraction techniques during painful procedures are presented. Age specific nonpharmacological interventions used to manage pain in children are most effective when adapted to the developmental level of the child. Distraction techniques are often provided by nurses, parents or child life specialists and help in pain alleviation during procedures.

„Child Life Specialist“-Interventionen in der klinischen pädiatrischen Versorgung: Ein systematischer Review zu Effekten auf psychische Gesundheitsparameter von Kindern und Jugendlichen

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Hummel ◽  
Michaela Coenen ◽  
Varinka Voigt-Blaurock ◽  
Christoph Klein ◽  
Caroline Jung-Sievers
Keyword(s):  
Child Life ◽  
Child Life Specialist ◽  
Systematischer Review ◽  
Randomisierte Kontrollierte Studien ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Systematische Literatursuche ◽  
Kontrollierte Studien

Zusammenfassung Ziel der Studie Krankenhausaufenthalte können bei Kindern zu psychischen Belastungen führen, die in der Regelversorgung häufig nicht ausreichend adressiert werden. Ein neuer Ansatz ist es, spezialisierte psychosoziale Fachkräfte, sog. Child Life Specialists (CLS), in die klinische Versorgung einzubinden. CLS begleiten Kinder durch den Klinikalltag und können Belastungen durch gezielte Interventionen auffangen und das Wohlbefinden der PatientInnen fördern. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die Effekte von CLS-Interventionen auf Angst, Schmerz und Stress von Kindern im klinischen Kontext zu analysieren. Methodik Es wurde eine systematische Literatursuche in den Datenbanken Medline, Embase und PsycINFO durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse wurden in tabellarischer und graphischer Form dargestellt. Ergebnisse Es wurden vier randomisierte kontrollierte Studien (RCTs) eingeschlossen, die die Effekte von CLS-Interventionen bei 459 Kindern im Alter von 0–15 Jahren untersuchten. Eine signifikante Verbesserung der Zielkriterien wurde jeweils in mindestens einer Studie berichtet. Bei allen Studien ist von einem mittleren bis hohen Verzerrungsrisiko auszugehen. Schlussfolgerung In den eingeschlossenen RCTs werden positive Effekte von CLS-Interventionen auf Ergebnisvariablen psychischer Gesundheit von Kindern im klinischen Setting berichtet. Aufgrund der geringen Anzahl von Studien sowie deren Heterogenität und Qualität ist weitere Forschung notwendig.

Why Is She So Distressed?

2020 ◽  
pp. 275-284
Author(s):  
Daniel Waechter Webb ◽  
Megan J. Thorvilson
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Relationship ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Spiritual Beliefs ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Difficult Times

Illness often raises many questions related to humanity and life meaning both for children and their families, and many lean on spirituality to sustain them in difficult times. When one’s ability to experience and integrate meaning in life becomes disrupted, patients may experience spiritual distress, which can present in physical, psychological, and social ways. The majority of pediatricians acknowledge a positive role for spirituality in healing, in strengthening the therapeutic relationship, and in providing support for patients/families, yet clinicians often feel ill-equipped to address spirituality with families. However, most parents would prefer to be open about their spiritual beliefs and practices with their medical team. In addition to the clinician, chaplains, child life specialists, social workers, and psychologists can support the evolving spiritual needs of children as they grow and develop.

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