Making the wait easier: evaluating the role of supervised play in a surgical admission area

Date

2008

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Fereday, J.
Darbyshire, P.

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Neonatal, Paediatric and Child Health Nursing, 2008; 11(1):4-9

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Abstract

A child's admission to hospital for surgery is often a time of anxiety for children and parents, regardless of how 'minor' the surgery is purported to be. Although the benefits of play for hospitalised children and particularly in-patients are well known, less is known regarding the benefits of organised play within a more 'short-term' waiting area. As the popularity of day surgery increases, this becomes a more pressing research and practice concern. This paper describes a practice evaluation project that addressed this question by exploring the perceived advantages and/or disadvantages of the play coordinator role within a day of surgery admission suite (DOSA) in a tertiary paediatric hospital. A primarily qualitative approach was used to ascertain the perspectives of children, parents and staff regarding the provision of play opportunities whilst waiting for day surgery. This project's findings support the importance of organised play opportunities and activities that enhance the quality of care and create a more 'child-friendly' environment within a day of surgery setting.

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