Spiritual needs of children with complex healthcare needs in hospital

Area of Science:

• Pediatric healthcare
• Spiritual care research
• Child psychology

Background:

• Hospitalization significantly impacts school-aged children with complex healthcare needs.
• The spiritual well-being of these children is often overlooked.
• Understanding children's perspectives is crucial for holistic care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore hospitalized school-aged children's views on spiritual care.
• To inform national policies and raise awareness regarding spiritual needs in pediatric acute care.
• To understand the impact of hospitalization on children's spiritual well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pictures from previous studies to facilitate storytelling and discussion.
• Employed open-ended questions in interviews with a convenience sample of five hospitalized children.
• Applied a grounded theory approach for thematic analysis of interview transcriptions.

Main Results:

• Key themes included the influence of relationships (family, friends, healthcare professionals).
• The hospital environment's impact on the child was a significant factor.
• Coping mechanisms for invasive procedures and children's belief systems were also identified.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare professionals must acknowledge that children possess spiritual needs, including religious beliefs.
• Identifying and addressing these spiritual needs is an integral part of professional duty of care.
• Recognizing the spiritual dimension is essential for comprehensive pediatric patient care.