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Practical communication guide for paediatric procedures
Amanda Stock1, Amber Hill, Franz E Babl
1Emergency Department, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. amanda.stock@rch.org.au
Insights
Preparing children for emergency department (ED) procedures using age-appropriate language significantly reduces distress. This guide offers clinicians practical communication strategies for pediatric patients and families, improving the procedural experience.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Clinical Communication
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Children frequently experience diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the Emergency Department (ED).
- While pharmacological interventions like topical anesthesia, analgesia, and sedation manage physical pain, procedural distress often persists.
- Patient and family preparation is crucial for mitigating this distress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a practical language guide for clinicians working with children in the ED.
- To provide age-appropriate and non-threatening terminology for common procedures and equipment.
- To enhance the preparation and overall experience of pediatric patients undergoing medical procedures.
Main Methods:
- Development of a practical language guide for ED clinicians.
- Inclusion of age-appropriate and non-threatening language for procedures and equipment.
- Focus on communication strategies for use before, during, and after procedures.
Main Results:
- A practical language guide was developed for ED clinicians.
- The guide offers specific terminology to facilitate clear communication with children and families.
- Recommendations are provided for integrating the guide into clinical practice.
Conclusions:
- Effective communication using tailored language is essential for reducing procedural distress in children.
- The proposed language guide can be a valuable resource for ED staff.
- Implementing this guide may improve patient and family coping during ED procedures.
Abstract:
Children undergo many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the ED. Although emergency staff can often intervene to reduce physical pain through topical anaesthesia, analgesia and sedation, much procedural distress can be addressed by better preparing patients and families for the procedures. A key to guiding children through procedures is the use of age-appropriate and non-threatening language by all clinicians involved. We present a practical language guide for procedures and equipment for use by clinicians in the ED before, during and after procedures. The language tables might be most usefully placed in the procedure rooms for easy reference or incorporated into clinical practice guidelines.
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