Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department Visits

Objectives: To describe and compare caregiver perceptions of their emergency department (ED) experiences with and without child life specialist (CLS) involvement in their child's overall care. Study design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children aged 0-17 years at a tert...

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Main Authors: Lundy Day, MD, MEd, Smit Patel, BSc, BN, Manasi Rajagopal, BSc, MBT, Kelly Raymond, MSc, CCLS, Bruce Wright, MD, Sarah Rathwell, MSc, Sandy Stevens, BN, Laura Stevens, Samina Ali, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-09-01
Series:Journal of Pediatrics: Clinical Practice
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950541024000139
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author Lundy Day, MD, MEd
Smit Patel, BSc, BN
Manasi Rajagopal, BSc, MBT
Kelly Raymond, MSc, CCLS
Bruce Wright, MD
Sarah Rathwell, MSc
Sandy Stevens, BN
Laura Stevens
Samina Ali, MD
author_facet Lundy Day, MD, MEd
Smit Patel, BSc, BN
Manasi Rajagopal, BSc, MBT
Kelly Raymond, MSc, CCLS
Bruce Wright, MD
Sarah Rathwell, MSc
Sandy Stevens, BN
Laura Stevens
Samina Ali, MD
author_sort Lundy Day, MD, MEd
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: To describe and compare caregiver perceptions of their emergency department (ED) experiences with and without child life specialist (CLS) involvement in their child's overall care. Study design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children aged 0-17 years at a tertiary care pediatric ED was completed from March to August 2021. Survey themes included perceived experience and satisfaction and the impact of child life specialists. Results: A total of 179 caregivers completed the survey; mean age was 38.9 years (SD 8.4), and 68.1% (122/179) were mothers. Caregivers of children with CLS involvement (CLS+) ranked their overall experience (P = .021) and satisfaction (P = .009) greater than without CLS involvement (CLS–). More CLS+ caregivers ranked their experience (55.7%, 34/61) and their satisfaction (77.0%, 47/61) as excellent (5/5 Likert scale rating) compared with CLS– caregivers (34.8%, 40/115 and 52.2%, 60/115 respectively). CLS+ families were more likely to be offered nonpharmacologic interventions (eg, iPad, sensory lights, toys) (98.4% vs 31.3%, P = .003); they were also more likely to have a health care worker explore their feelings and fears (52.5% vs 27.0%, P = .0008), help them prepare for a procedure or examination (73.8% vs 31.3%, P < .0001), provide distraction techniques (70.5% vs 19.1%, P < .0001), offer strategies to help coping (47.5% vs 14.8%, P < .0001), or provide play opportunities (55.7% vs 9.6%, P < .0001). Conclusions: CLS involvement in children’s ED care is associated with greater caregiver satisfaction and experience beyond previously reported procedural distress management. Efforts to increase availability of CLSs should be made to better family experiences in the ED.
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series Journal of Pediatrics: Clinical Practice
spelling doaj-art-2792f31f466140d2a4b5984c22d44ac82024-11-22T07:41:34ZengElsevierJournal of Pediatrics: Clinical Practice2950-54102024-09-0113200107Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department VisitsLundy Day, MD, MEd0Smit Patel, BSc, BN1Manasi Rajagopal, BSc, MBT2Kelly Raymond, MSc, CCLS3Bruce Wright, MD4Sarah Rathwell, MSc5Sandy Stevens, BN6Laura Stevens7Samina Ali, MD8Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine &amp; Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine &amp; Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine &amp; Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaAlberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine &amp; Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI), Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaWomen and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI), Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaPatient/Family Partner, PEAK Research Team, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine &amp; Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaPatient/Family Partner, PEAK Research Team, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine &amp; Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine &amp; Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Reprint requests: Dr Samina Ali, MD, Department of Pediatrics, 3-583 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405 – 87 Ave, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada.Objectives: To describe and compare caregiver perceptions of their emergency department (ED) experiences with and without child life specialist (CLS) involvement in their child's overall care. Study design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children aged 0-17 years at a tertiary care pediatric ED was completed from March to August 2021. Survey themes included perceived experience and satisfaction and the impact of child life specialists. Results: A total of 179 caregivers completed the survey; mean age was 38.9 years (SD 8.4), and 68.1% (122/179) were mothers. Caregivers of children with CLS involvement (CLS+) ranked their overall experience (P = .021) and satisfaction (P = .009) greater than without CLS involvement (CLS–). More CLS+ caregivers ranked their experience (55.7%, 34/61) and their satisfaction (77.0%, 47/61) as excellent (5/5 Likert scale rating) compared with CLS– caregivers (34.8%, 40/115 and 52.2%, 60/115 respectively). CLS+ families were more likely to be offered nonpharmacologic interventions (eg, iPad, sensory lights, toys) (98.4% vs 31.3%, P = .003); they were also more likely to have a health care worker explore their feelings and fears (52.5% vs 27.0%, P = .0008), help them prepare for a procedure or examination (73.8% vs 31.3%, P < .0001), provide distraction techniques (70.5% vs 19.1%, P < .0001), offer strategies to help coping (47.5% vs 14.8%, P < .0001), or provide play opportunities (55.7% vs 9.6%, P < .0001). Conclusions: CLS involvement in children’s ED care is associated with greater caregiver satisfaction and experience beyond previously reported procedural distress management. Efforts to increase availability of CLSs should be made to better family experiences in the ED.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950541024000139caregiverschildrencomfortpatient experiencepainparents
spellingShingle Lundy Day, MD, MEd
Smit Patel, BSc, BN
Manasi Rajagopal, BSc, MBT
Kelly Raymond, MSc, CCLS
Bruce Wright, MD
Sarah Rathwell, MSc
Sandy Stevens, BN
Laura Stevens
Samina Ali, MD
Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department Visits
Journal of Pediatrics: Clinical Practice
caregivers
children
comfort
patient experience
pain
parents
title Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department Visits
title_full Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department Visits
title_fullStr Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department Visits
title_full_unstemmed Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department Visits
title_short Caregiver Perspectives on the Impact of Child Life Specialists during Pediatric Emergency Department Visits
title_sort caregiver perspectives on the impact of child life specialists during pediatric emergency department visits
topic caregivers
children
comfort
patient experience
pain
parents
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950541024000139
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