The role of child life in pediatric radiology

Susan L Kinnebrew1, Carrie G Dove1, Carrie M Midwin1

  • 1Child Life Department, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, CA, USA.

Pediatric Radiology
|September 16, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Certified child life specialists enhance pediatric radiology by improving patient experience and safety. Their interventions reduce anesthesia needs, shorten procedure times, and boost departmental efficiency.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Radiology
  • Child Life Services

Background:

  • Pediatric radiology departments require multidisciplinary teams for optimal patient care.
  • Certified child life specialists are integral to these teams, focusing on patient and family experience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the critical role of child life specialists in pediatric radiology.
  • To demonstrate the impact of child life services on patient safety, satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Main Methods:

  • The article discusses the functions and contributions of child life specialists within pediatric radiology settings.
  • Examples illustrate the practical application of child life interventions in radiology exams.

Main Results:

  • Child life specialists improve patient and family experiences.
  • Interventions decrease the need for general anesthesia through pain management and coping techniques.
  • Child life services enhance patient safety, departmental efficiency, and imaging quality, reducing procedure times.

Conclusions:

  • Child life specialists are essential for optimizing pediatric radiology services.
  • Their involvement positively affects patient safety, satisfaction, and operational outcomes.
  • Integrating child life services leads to improved healthcare delivery in pediatric radiology.

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