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Child life programs in the pediatric emergency department
M S Krebel1, C Clayton, C Graham
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, USA.
Pediatric Emergency Care
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Child life (CL) programs are underutilized in pediatric emergency departments (EDs). Child life specialists (CLS) offer vital support, including procedure preparation and developmental activities, but are scarce in most EDs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Child Psychology
- Healthcare Services Research
Background:
- Child life (CL) programs are established in inpatient settings to mitigate hospitalization-related stress and anxiety.
- The role and availability of CL programs in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) remain less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current availability of child life specialists (CLS) in pediatric EDs.
- To identify the types of interventions provided by CLS in a pediatric ED setting.
Main Methods:
- A telephone survey was conducted with 44 large children's hospitals in the United States regarding CLS utilization in EDs.
- A retrospective review analyzed CL interventions over a two-year period at one large pediatric ED.
Main Results:
- Only 14% of surveyed EDs had full-time CLS; another 14% offered CL services via consult, while 72% had no CLS.
- Higher ED census correlated with increased likelihood of having a full-time CLS (P = 0.02).
- Interventions included invasive procedure teaching (32%), developmental stimulation (22%), and family support (21.5%).
Conclusions:
- Child life programs are significantly underutilized in most pediatric EDs compared to inpatient settings.
- CLS provide essential services in the ED, including procedural preparation, developmental support, and family assistance.
- Further integration of CLS into pediatric EDs is warranted to enhance patient and family coping during emergency care.