Munshi Fadi M, Desai Priti P, Azizi Banafsheh, Alabdulkarim Sarah O, Mujlli Gadah A, Alaskary Heidi A, McIntire Caroline R, Alhegelan Reem S, Yaqinuddin Ahmed, Izquierdo Josefa P
Abdulrahman's Oasis, Riyadh, KSA.
East Carolina University, Greenville, USA.
J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2024 Jul 4;19(4):790-799. doi: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2024.06.004. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Saudi Arabia has made substantial advancements in its pediatric healthcare infrastructure. However, substantial gaps persist in addressing hospitalized children's emotional safety, and psychosocial and developmental needs. Internationally, the child life profession has evolved over decades to specifically address these needs, through interventions such as therapeutic play, age-appropriate patient education, and family support. This article evaluates the imperative for integrating the child life profession into healthcare services in Saudi Arabia to transform the quality of pediatric healthcare. An analysis of the current landscape revealed gaps in pediatric psychosocial care. These gaps are listed as national priorities in the health transformation program aimed at improving healthcare quality and enhancing well-being. Integrating the child life profession can help achieve these objectives for children and families in Saudi Arabia. This article highlights the multifaceted benefits of the child life profession in improving patient experiences, healthcare delivery efficiency, pediatric healthcare quality, and the overall well-being of children and families. Strategies for phased implementation, involving healthcare institutions, academic partners, relevant non-profit partners, and policymakers, are proposed.
沙特阿拉伯在其儿科医疗基础设施方面取得了重大进展。然而，在解决住院儿童的情感安全以及心理社会和发展需求方面，仍然存在巨大差距。在国际上，儿童生活专业经过数十年的发展，通过治疗性游戏、适合儿童年龄的患者教育和家庭支持等干预措施，专门满足这些需求。本文评估了将儿童生活专业融入沙特阿拉伯医疗服务以改善儿科医疗质量的必要性。对当前情况的分析揭示了儿科心理社会护理方面的差距。这些差距被列为旨在提高医疗质量和增进福祉的健康转型计划中的国家优先事项。整合儿童生活专业有助于为沙特阿拉伯的儿童和家庭实现这些目标。本文强调了儿童生活专业在改善患者体验、医疗服务效率、儿科医疗质量以及儿童和家庭的整体福祉方面的多方面益处。提出了分阶段实施的策略，涉及医疗机构、学术合作伙伴、相关非营利合作伙伴和政策制定者。
