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Parental perceptions of clown care in paediatric intensive care units
Guillaume Mortamet1,2, Audrey Merckx1, Nadia Roumeliotis2,3
1Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Necker Hospital, Paris, France.
Insights
Parents reported high satisfaction with medical clowning in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This family-centered care practice was well-accepted, regardless of a child's condition, supporting its adoption in PICUs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Intensive Care
- Medical Humanities
- Patient-Centered Care
Background:
- The presence of clowns in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is an emerging area of patient and family support.
- Understanding family satisfaction is crucial for integrating complementary therapies into critical care settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate parental satisfaction with medical clowning interventions in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
- To assess the perceived impact of clowns on both parents and children within the PICU environment.
Main Methods:
- A single-center, survey-based study was conducted over four months in a university hospital's 12-bed PICU.
- Parents of children present during clowning interventions were approached to complete a survey within 48 hours of the intervention.
Main Results:
- Thirty-three parents completed the survey.
- A significant majority of parents (84.8%) felt clowns positively impacted them, and 81.8% felt clowns positively impacted their child.
- Parental satisfaction was high and not significantly associated with the child's clinical stability.
Conclusions:
- Medical clowning is well-accepted by parents in the PICU setting.
- The findings support the integration of medical clowning as a patient- and family-centered care practice in PICUs.
Aim:
The objective of this study was to report family satisfaction with regards to the presence of clowns in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Methods:
This is a single-centre survey-based study, conducted over 4 months in a 12-bed third level PICU in a university hospital. All parents present at the bedside of their child during clowning were considered as potential participants. Eligible parents were approached by one of the two intensivists as investigators and asked to complete a survey within the 48 h following the clowns' intervention.
Results:
Thirty-three parents consented to complete the survey. Median age of children was 14 months (15 days to 16 years) and median Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction (PELOD) score was 1 (0-22). Twenty-four (72.7%) were considered as clinically stable while the clowns intervened. Twenty-eight parents (84.8%) and 27 (81.8%) considered that clowns had a positive effect on themselves and on their child, respectively. Clown care was considered as necessary in 19 cases (57.6%), optional in 13 (39.4%) and unnecessary in 1 (3.0%). The degree of parental satisfaction was not significantly associated with the child's clinical stability.
Conclusion:
We suggested that medical clowning in the PICU is well accepted by parents, regardless of severity of their child's condition. This study supports the adoption of medical clowning in PICUs as a patient- and family-centred care practice.
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