Bedside support practices for hospitalized children.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Child Psychology
• Hospital Play Therapy

Background:

• Hospitalization can induce significant stress, anxiety, and fear in children.
• Play activities are recognized as a vital component of child development and coping mechanisms.
• The role of bedside play in mitigating negative psychological impacts of hospitalization requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore mothers' and hospitalized children's perspectives on bedside play activities.
• To understand the perceived benefits and importance of play during pediatric hospitalization.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research design.
• Semi-structured interviews with 33 children (aged 6-12) and their mothers on a Pediatric Surgical Ward.
• Content analysis of collected interview data.

Main Results:

• Bedside activities are crucial for reducing worry, fear, and stress associated with pediatric medical procedures.
• Hospitalized children identify bedside support activities as a primary need.
• Individual play is favored due to infection risk, with a growing consensus for healthcare personnel to plan these activities.

Conclusions:

• Bedside activities possess healing power, reducing anxiety and fear, thereby facilitating hospital adaptation.
• Play activities serve as a non-pharmacological intervention in pediatric surgery wards, offering pain relief.
• Regular, interest-based bedside activities planned by healthcare professionals can enhance the treatment process for sick children.