Real-Life Communication
Child life specialists are communications experts. It's their job
to find the best way to work with a child, and make them feel more comfortable
and happier in a hospital setting. Each child is different, so child life
specialists talk with the parents and with the child to figure out how to
best help a child.
"Listening skills and communication skills are so
important," says Sharon Paulse. "You have to be able to understand different
situations and be able to reach out to others."
On the job, child life
specialists must also have good writing skills. "We have to be able to write
reports in concise, legally acceptable language," she says.
You are
having a meeting with the father of a child who will be coming to the hospital
soon. You listen to Mr. Priam's description of his child, Violet. You make
notes during the discussion, so that you will be able to ask questions later.
Mr.
Priam says:
"Violet is such an outgoing girl, I just don't
know how she's going to cope with being cooped up indoors. At home, she's
always outside racing about, and when she's inside her mind has to be occupied.
She won't sit still. In fact, she won't even sit still to watch a movie or
a TV program.
"Well, no, that's not entirely true. If Violet wants
to learn something, she will sit. She is very curious and wants to know the
details of everything about everything. We went to the aquarium, and she wanted
to know how fish swim. She wasn't satisfied until an aquarium worker had shown
her diagrams of a fish's swim bladder, and showed her how they are able to
stay afloat.
"Even though Violet loves to be outside, she has a hard
time getting along with other children. I don't know if she'll like being
around other children in the ward. She says she doesn't want to see sick kids.
She hasn't really accepted that she is sick herself."
You
nod as Mr. Priam speaks about his child. You talk to him about how he thinks
Violet would best cope with her situation. Later when you look over your notes,
you have a few questions. By reading your notes, find answers to your questions:
- Will Violet need lots of stimulation so she won't become bored?
- Will Violet want to know about her procedure in detail? Why?
- What makes you think Violet doesn't want to be in a ward with others?
- Do you think Violet has come to terms with her illness?