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The Development of a Multidisciplinary Support Network to Support Hospitalized Pediatric Patients, Their Families,
Jennifer Lee1,2, Susanne M Bifano2, Michelle J Bombacie3
1Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Insights
The Multidisciplinary Support Network enhanced psychosocial support for hospitalized children during COVID-19. Collaborative, integrative therapies provided critical humanitarian aid to patients, families, and staff.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Integrative Medicine
- Psychosocial Support
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic created significant emotional and behavioral challenges for hospitalized children, families, and staff.
- Visitor restrictions and isolation protocols limited access to traditional psychosocial support systems.
- Complementary and integrative health therapies, such as acupuncture, offer a suitable approach for humanitarian support during crises.
Purpose of the Study:
- To redesign the delivery of acupuncture and integrative therapies.
- To provide integrated psychosocial support for hospitalized children, their families, and healthcare staff.
- To address service gaps and develop resources during the pandemic.
Main Methods:
- Formation of a Multidisciplinary Support Network with diverse expertise (integrative therapies, art therapy, child life, nursing, pastoral care, medicine, psychology, psychiatry).
- Compilation of existing complementary and integrative services.
- Development of training programs for staff and trainees on integrative therapies.
- Creation of resources including a Comfort Box, closed-circuit programming, a pediatric companionship program, and a well-being workbook.
Main Results:
- The Network successfully integrated various disciplines to deliver enhanced support.
- Training was provided to staff, pediatric trainees, and faculty on integrative therapies.
- New resources were developed to address symptom relief (pain, anxiety, sleep) and provide companionship.
- A well-being workbook was created to support patients and families.
Conclusions:
- Collaborative, interdisciplinary teamwork utilizing integrative therapies was crucial for humanitarian efforts.
- The Network's approach effectively supported hospitalized children and their families during the crisis.
- Integrative therapies played a key role in providing essential psychosocial support in a challenging environment.
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic led to emotional and behavioral challenges for hospitalized pediatric patients, their families, and staff. Visitor restrictions, closure of patient lounges and playrooms, masking requirements, and enhanced isolation rules resulted in limited access to typical sources of psychosocial support during this traumatic event. Complementary and integrative health therapies such as acupuncture and related therapies are well suited to provide the humanitarian support patients and families need during times of crisis.
Objective:
The Multidisciplinary Support Network (i.e., Network) was formed to redesign the delivery of acupuncture and other integrative therapies alongside psychosocial support for hospitalized children, their families, and staff.
Intervention:
Network members represented a broad range of previously siloed disciplines including integrative therapies, art therapy, child life, nursing, pastoral care, adolescent medicine, pediatric hospital medicine, psychology, and child and adolescent psychiatry. The Network aimed to identify gaps in service and create resources to support children and families during this challenging time.
Results:
The Network compiled existing complementary and integrative services, provided training on integrative therapies to staff, pediatric trainees, and faculty, developed the Comfort Box containing items to provide symptom relief including pain, anxiety and difficulty sleeping, as well as closed-circuit programming, a pediatric companionship program connecting medical student volunteer companions with pediatric patients, and a well-being workbook.
Conclusion:
Collaborative teamwork across disciplines using integrative therapies was key to humanitarian efforts to support hospitalized children and their families during this crisis.
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