Does the Implementation of a Children’s Story Improve a Child’s Hospital Stay?

Abstract

Introduction: The admission of a child to a health institution, on some occasions, is due to the performance of a procedure such as surgery. Parents and the child express doubts, anxiety and even, on some occasions, forget to comply with a pre-surgical requirement. To improve this situation, the idea arose to implement a story that tells the story of a child and his family so that, in this way, they can know what will happen to them and, thus, reduce anxiety. In addition, they are given a checklist, so that they do not forget important actions and materials prior to surgery.

Objectives: To implement, in the pre-surgical stage, an educational children’s story for parents and the child to read before their intervention, in order to reduce anxiety during their hospital stay.

Material and methods: A qualitative and descriptive study is carried out through an opinion survey of health professionals who care for children. This is about the implementation of a story that narrates in written form and with images the child’s stay in the hospital. It is a time that parents and child can share to talk about the hospital stay. Access to the survey is voluntary.

Results: 100% of the staff (No. 19) were surveyed, of which 31.5% (No. 6) are psychologists; 10.5% (No. 2), educational psychologists; 10.5% (No. 2), graduates in Nursing; 31.5% (No. 6), specialists in Pediatric Intensive Care Nursing; 15,8% (No. 3), specialists in Neonatal Nursing, who work in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. 89.4% belong to the female gender (No. 17) and 10.5% to the male gender (No. 2). 100% thought the implementation of the story was appropriate.

On the topic of the story avoiding misunderstandings, 84.2% (No. 16) responded YES. 5.3% responded that the story was not going to avoid solving errors. And, in the “Other” variable, 10.5% (No. 2) described that it would serve to calm the child, depending on how adapted the story was for the child’s age and ability to understand.

Conclusions: This tool arises from the completion of an educational story plus a checklist in order to clear up doubts that may not be able to be cleared up in the consultation, since it is brief due to the emotional shock and the stage of mourning. For this reason, it is important to know the opinion of professionals who are in contact with and accompany children and the family during their hospital stay. 100% implement this educational tool.