This document discusses the role of child life specialists in surgery. It describes how child life specialists work to reduce stress for children and families by assessing patients, providing preparation, support during procedures, play, family support, education and communication. The goal is to create a more positive hospital experience through decreasing anxiety, increasing coping skills and understanding of medical care.
2. What is Child Life?
A profession which focuses on the emotional,
developmental and psychosocial needs of children and
their families in the hospital setting
Using play and other forms of communication, child life
professionals seek to reduce the stress associated with
healthcare
Advocates for family-centered care that work in
partnership with doctors, nurses, social workers and
others to meet the psychosocial needs of the
hospitalized child and family
3. Child Life Mission Statement
(Child Life Council)
We, as child life professionals, strive to reduce the
negative impact of stressful or traumatic life
events and situations that affect the development,
health and well-being of infants, children, youth
and families. We embrace the value of play as a
healing modality as we work to enhance the
optimal growth and development of infants,
children and youth through assessment,
intervention, prevention, advocacy, and education.
4. Role of a Child Life Specialist in
Surgery
Assess patient’s understanding and
perceptions
Pre-surgical tours and preparation
Procedural support and distraction
Therapeutic, medical and developmental play
Family support
Postoperative support
Communicate and Educate
5. Assess Patient’s Understanding
and Perceptions
Gather information from patient using direct
observation, interaction, and discussion with parents
Assess the patient’s understanding, perceptions and
ability to cope
Begin building rapport with the patient and family
Meet the patient “where they are”
Provide valuable input to the hospitalized team
regarding patient’s coping abilities
6. Pre-Surgical Tours and Preparation
Pre-surgical tours of a preoperative room, operating
room and recovery areas help reduce fear of the
unknown and allow patients and families to become
familiar with environment
Child life specialist uses developmentally appropriate
language to prepare pediatric patients and their families
for surgical procedures
Describing sensory experiences (what will the child
see, hear, smell, feel and taste) and sequence of
events in a way a child may understand that will
happen before and after surgery
Preparation may include using medical teaching dolls,
preparation books, and actual medical equipment such
as an anesthesia mask
Purpose of preparation is to decrease anxiety and
stress, eliminate misconceptions and increase coping
capabilities
7. Procedural Support and
Distraction
Facilitate comfort positions to enhance patients ability to
cope
Child life specialist will introduce and teach coping
strategies to help reduce anxiety and enhance
cooperation with the health care team
Utilize distraction kits and tools such as iPad, light
spinners, I Spy books, bubbles and counting to provide
alternate focus.
Patient may participate in relaxation, deep breathing or
guided imagery during procedures
Provide opportunities for choice and control
Advocate for child life and/or parental presence for
induction of anesthesia
8. Therapeutic, Medical and
Developmental Play
Child life specialist use medical play to familiarize patients
with their upcoming surgical procedure
Developmentally appropriate play normalizes hospital
environment
During play, misconceptions and concerns might surface
allowing opportunity for child life specialist to correct
Play helps the child life specialist assess the child’s
developmental level
Therapeutic play helps the child to gain some control in an
environment that has taken most of their control away
Play may increase confidence, self-esteem and normalize
environment
9. Family Support
Child life has a strong background in family systems,
and are there to support the family of the patient.
Child life acts as an advocate for family involvement
Provide resources for networking, new diagnosis and
surgical procedure
Educate parent on sibling reactions
Provide siblings with medical play to promote coping
and understanding of surgical procedure
10. Postoperative Support
Child life uses therapeutic activities to help distract and
comfort the child when coming out of anesthesia
Use guided imagery/relaxation to help control pain
Use child friendly language to help the child process
their surgical experience
Provide emotional support and prepare families for
common reactions to anesthesia
11. Communicate and Educate
Provide an introduction of child life services to staff in
Outpatient and Inpatient Surgery Departments and
communicate what services are available and
appropriate
Inform staff as to how to make referrals and what times
child life is available
Educate staff regarding child life services provided,
such as pre-procedural preparation, medical play,
distractions, patient and family emotional support, etc.
Communicate with staff by charting patients
interventions
Providing information on age specific toys and activities
12. Measurable Outcomes
Cooperation with anesthesia induction
Decrease patient and family anxiety at separation
Improved cooperation with IV starts
Reduction of recovery times
Pre-surgical tour participation
Improved Patient Satisfaction Scores within surveys
given out
13. Benefits of Child Life
in Surgery
Child life specialists are able to assist medical staff in
order to create a positive experience for patients and
families
Provides more of a child friendly environment for
pediatric patients
Reduces patients stress and anxiety
Relay information to hospital staff regarding patients
coping capabilities
Increases predictability of hospital experience
14. The desired outcome of having child life
services in surgery includes collaboration of
child life, hospital staff and families working
together to form a more positive hospital
experience for the child. Benefits include less
emotional distress, effective coping abilities and
decrease traumatic experiences. Children will
be leaving the hospital with a better
understanding of their medical care, physical
recovery and increase patient and family
satisfaction.
