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Disaster zones-should we be clowning around?
Uri Ilan1, Avigail Davidov2, Joseph Mendlovic3,4
1Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Hadassah Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel.
European Journal of Pediatrics
|September 24, 2017
Summary
Medical clowns positively impacted healthcare teams in a Nepal earthquake field hospital. This study highlights the benefits of integrating medical clowning into disaster relief efforts for both staff well-being and patient care.
Area of Science:
- Disaster medicine
- Psychological support in healthcare
Background:
- Medical clowns are established in pediatric care for pain and distress management.
- Their role in disaster settings and impact on medical staff remain unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of medical clowning on a field hospital during the 2015 Nepal earthquake.
- To evaluate the effect of medical clowns on the general hospital environment and individual medical staff performance.
Main Methods:
- Five volunteer medical clowns joined an Israeli field hospital in Kathmandu.
- An online questionnaire surveyed hospital members on the impact of medical clowning.
- Data analyzed general and personal impact on physicians and nurses.
Main Results:
- 65.4% reported a positive general impact of medical clowning.
- 78.3% of physicians and nurses noted a positive personal impact.
- Staff new to medical clowning recognized general benefits but were less likely to report personal performance impact.
Conclusions:
- Medical clowns can be a valuable addition to medical teams in disaster areas.
- This study is the first to describe medical clowning in a disaster zone and evaluate its effect on medical staff.
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