Visual supports to create child-friendly environments in a pediatric hospital: A mixed-methods study

Introduction. Effective communication between patients and healthcare workers (HCW) is central to the healthcare process; it affects the quality of care, safety, outcomes, and satisfaction of both patients and HCW. Visual aids (VAs) facilitate communication by reducing anxiety and promoting more tolerable experiences within the hospital. Objective. To describe the acceptance of the use of VAs to anticipate medical procedures in a pediatric hospital by families and HCWs. Population and methods. Descriptive, cross-sectional, and qualitative-quantitative study. Frequent medical procedures and their corresponding VAs were selected, and HCWs were trained in their use. Acceptance of the VAs was assessed among caregivers and HCWs through semi-structured surveys and qualitative analysis of field notes. Results. Seventy-two surveys were collected from caregivers and 24 from healthcare providers. All healthcare providers used VAs at least once; 23/24 reported that patients understood the situation better, and 18/24 reported reduced stress and a simplified procedure. Among caregivers, 69/72 reported some degree of improvement in understanding the procedure, reduced stress, and greater tolerance of the experience. Qualitative analysis revealed strong acceptance of VAs, greater patient participation, and difficulties due to time constraints and organizational challenges. Conclusion. The findings suggest good acceptance and provide preliminary information to guide future studies in other institutional settings.