SCCM Resource Library-Certified Child Life Specialists: A New Addition to the Critical Care Team

Pdf Summary

The document emphasizes the vital role Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLSs) play in ICU Liberation programs, which aim to optimize psychosocial care for pediatric patients and their families during intensive care unit stays. CCLSs are highlighted as key contributors to medical teams, ensuring that children maintain some level of normalcy and family engagement in unfamiliar and often distressing healthcare environments.<br /><br />The text shares the poignant story of a mother, Kimberly LaRose, whose son, Jake, experienced a critical illness that necessitated a lengthy PICU admission. Initially feeling disconnected, Kimberly found empowerment through involvement in her son's care, illustrating the transformative support roles CCLSs can offer to families. CCLSs use techniques and interventions like play and educational support to help families understand medical procedures, thus increasing their involvement and easing the psychological strain related to critical care situations.<br /><br />Among the functions of CCLSs are providing developmentally appropriate education, utilizing play to facilitate communication and self-regulation, and helping tailor ICU routines to resemble home life as much as possible. Despite intense medical interventions, CCLSs strive to integrate familiar routines to minimize emotional distress for both the children and their families. They partner with healthcare professionals to enhance the child’s autonomy and family engagement while aiding in the prevention of complications such as delirium.<br /><br />The document also emphasizes the family's primary role in the child’s care, encouraging them to engage in everyday parental tasks to foster a nurturing environment within the ICU. Suggested interventions for CCLSs are tailored to enhance the understanding, engagement, and normalization of the child's condition and surroundings, recognizing the holistic benefits that such support brings to critically ill children and their families.

Asset Subtitle

Pediatrics, Patient and Family Support, 2021, 00:08:53

Asset Caption

This article was first published in the Spring 2021 issue of Critical Connections.

Certified child life specialists are an invaluable investment in the success of ICU liberation programs. They engage, empower, and support children and their families to mitigate the psychosocial impacts of a critical illness or injury.

Critical Connections, the critical care industry's only newsmagazine, provides information on cutting-edge topics in critical care useful to the entire multiprofessional team.Jessika Boles, PhD, CCLS
Kimberly LaRose, MEd, IMH-E
Kelsey Mora, MA, CCLS, LPC
Caroline Potter, MS, CCLS

Meta Tag

Content Type Article

Knowledge Area Pediatrics

Knowledge Area Patient and Family Support

Knowledge Level Foundational

Knowledge Level Intermediate

Knowledge Level Advanced

Membership Level Select

Membership Level Professional

Membership Level Associate

Tag Communication

Tag Education

Year 2021

Keywords

Certified Child Life Specialists

ICU Liberation programs

pediatric psychosocial care

family engagement

medical interventions

play and educational support

emotional distress

child autonomy

critical care support

family empowerment

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