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‘Caring for More than Just the Sickness’ Magnet essay Editor's note: The following article was an entry in the 2005 Magnet Essay contest held in conjunction with the 2005 Celebrating Excellence Fair and poster presentation. by Monica Henderson, R.N. Hospital Options Pool When a pediatric patient comes to the emergency room for a bump on the head, a fever, or a trauma, obviously we are treating everything that encompasses that child for that moment. If being egocentric is a term used to describe the thought process of many young ones in everyday life, it certainly is true in the hospital environment.   We treat the emotional needs of the family as well as the developmental needs of that child.   I have been a pediatric nurse here at MUSC for 13 years and the best patient care style I have seen comes from our child life specialists. They make up an extraordinary service which supports not only the patients and their families, but the entire medical team. I have seen them blowing bubbles and reassuring the youngest during an IV stick, to reviewing developmentally appropriate distractions with the parents in assisting them in helping their child. I have even borrowed silly toys to put on patients pillows as a welcome to the “frequent flyer” patient awaiting admission, trying to make the admission process just a little more tolerable.   I always say, a happy patient is a healthy one. Although we can’t always make everyone happy, easing the pain of a procedure or distracting the focus of the fear of one can be so helpful.   There are so many examples of how child life specialists make our jobs as healthcare workers so much more effective, thorough, and on many occasions, fun. If a little one is not crying as hard, then IV access is much easier to obtain. If the 8-year-old is less apprehensive about our assessment, it eases the ability to address the appropriate medical issue. But more importantly, if the experience is a little better, just maybe the patient and family can develop a better relationship with the entire staff… and that is an excellent thing.   I give a lot of credit to the child life department and the whole staff there. I believe this is one service that makes us more than excellent. Just ask any pediatric patient, if you can find one that is not busy with something credited to our child life program.     Friday, Feb. 3, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778, ext. 201.