The position of child life specialists in the Hungarian health care system
Abstract
Introduction: Psychological support and child-friendly health care provided during children's hospitalisation are particularly emphasised in both national and international research. As regards paediatrics in foreign hospitals, a child life specialist supports children and their families to cope with difficulties occurred during hospital care and with challenges caused by illnesses and handicaps.
Aims: Within the frame of this research, psychological preparation and support provided in Hungarian paediatrics were investigated on the basis of parents' responses. Our further aim was to get acquainted with the opinions and work of paediatric nurses in relation to children's psychological preparation and support. Our following goal was to demonstrate the necessity of developing a Hungarian version of such health care provision that has already been internationally widespread and that has definitely proved to have positive effects.
Methods: A descriptive and multivariate analysis was carried out relying on the results of online quantitative questionnaires filled in by members of the Chamber of Hungarian Health Care Professionals (Paediatric Department) and by parents of hospitalised children.
Results: Our questionnaires were filled in by 566 parents and 361 paediatric nurses. Nurses' and parents' views about children's psychological preparation and support differed. According to parents' responses, children's preparation was carried out in few cases, whereas nurses assessed the performance of this task to be much better. As a result, the frequency of preparation obviously influenced parents' evaluation of child-friendly care.
Conclusion: In Hungary the work of child life specialists is considered to be needed in the field of paediatrics. Thus, it would be essential to specify the employment of these specialists drawing special attention to their position in the system of health care provision or to their educational requirements regarding competences.
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