Child Life Portfolio
How would you introduce services to a new patient or family?
Introducing services to a child: When visiting a child for the first time, I would always bring something to engage the child and set the tone of the meeting. I don't want them to worry about me coming in to hurt them, so I want to build that trust from the beginning. I will introduce myself by my first name and, depending on their developmental level, explain my role in the hospital. For younger kids, I would describe myself as a friend who brings fun things for them to do. For older kids, though, I would delve more into being a supporter, someone who will help them be comfortable and know what's going on. It is important to always ask if the child has any questions or needs anything and to be prompt in following through with those needs, so as to build rapport with the child.
Introducing services to a parent: Parents always want what is best for their children. Because of this, I want to emphasize that my role is to make their time in the hospital as stress-free as possible by providing support for their child, as well as themselves. I will explain that I am there to provide procedural preparation and support, explanations about anything confusing, and simply to help the family and child cope with being in the hospital. Asking parents if they have any questions and if they know what the plan is is a great way to kick off the process of assessing where they are in understanding and coping with the hospitalization.
