Exploring Child Life Role and Impact of Providing Psychosocial Care During Short-Term Medical Missions

Abstract

Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLSs) have been engaged with other health profession-als to provide care within international short-term medical missions (STMMs). However, there is minimal research describing the care they provide, their professional roles, and the impact of their services on the beneficiaries, as well as the volunteer CCLSs. This exploratory, survey-based, descriptive study reports findings regarding roles and experiences of 55 CCLSs who volunteered to provide psychosocial care for children and families on STMMs. They reported providing play, normalization, psychological preparation for medical procedures, and emotional support, resulting in observable reduction in patient and parent anxiety. Nonpharmacological pain management and education for capacity building regarding psychosocial care were not routinely provided. Using Campinha Bacote’s cultural compe-tency framework and Knowles’ adult learning theory, we explored the reciprocal impact for CCLSs volunteering on STMMs. CCLSs reported improvement in their own cultural competency, professional skills, and child life competencies. Findings suggest providing psychosocial care on STMMs benefited patients, families, and the CCLSs. A brief commentary on children’s rights and ethical considerations for those in a child life role on STMMs is included. Practice and research implications are provided to enable greater understanding of the child life role in STMM contexts and to inform prospective CCLS volunteers of this opportunity, as well as to educate STMM organizations about the role of child life.