Key responsibilities include organizing and supervising play activities, fostering communication with children, families, and healthcare professionals, and ensuring a safe and supportive play environment. The specialist will also document interventions, contribute to patient care plans, and promote the importance of play in recovery. Additional duties involve liaising with various hospital departments and external organisations to enhance play opportunities for pediatric patients, while also providing leadership to less experienced staff and organizing educational placements for students in related fields.
The Children's Unit at The Princess Royal Hospital consists of a 33 Bedded inpatient ward, 3 Bedded Children's Oncology and Haematology Unit, Children's Assessment Unit and Children's Outpatient Departments at both The Princess Royal Hospital and The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. We care for Children and Young People aged 0 to 17 years old with a variety of medical and mental health needs.
We are looking for a registered Health Play Specialist who has expert knowledge and experience of Play with the well child and with the sick child/young person. They will be a fully integrated member of the Health Professionals Team who willwork within the Departmental team but also independently using their initiative, organisation, leadership and time management skills. The Hospital Play Practitioner will provide developmental, therapeutic and specialised play techniques for all ages and diversities in an effort to fulfil emotional, social and developmental needs and help alleviate emotional trauma.
- Help children and young people to recognise existing coping strategies and form new ones.
- Use their skills to Prepare children and young people for procedures and treatments by putting them in the driving seat and supporting understanding and myth-busting.
- Work with children, young people and families on the most effective ways to distract from procedures and treatments, when appropriate.
- Support children to make sense of what they are experiencing with the strategic use of play-based techniques.
- Offer distraction, relaxation and desensitisation techniques for children and young people undergoing medical procedures.
- Contribute to patient notes and documentation
- Source creative, fun activities and social opportunities for children and young people while they are in hospital.
- Undertake observations and assessments relating to play sessions
- Give support and advice to parent and other care-givers on ways they can support play.
- Supports general play either in the play/adolescent rooms or at the bedside
- Highlight the importance of play in assisting recovery and aiding development to all health professionals and students.
- Help bridge the gap between hospital and home, creating a positive environment and a positive patient journey
About us
1.1. To work in accordance with best practice and guidance based on guidelines, (for example, this may include those contained within the National Association of Hospital Play Specialist (NAHPS) Code of Conduct) and work in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
1.2. To have knowledge of child development and the factors which affect or delay normal development. With this knowledge, develop play strategies to promote development of appropriate milestones of child development for each individual.
1.3. To organise and supervise play activities for individual and groups of children and young people in hospital according to their individual needs, taking into account their stage of development and their physical and mental condition.
1.4. To provide and receive routine information and to establish effective communications, both written and verbal, with children, their families and all members of the multi-disciplinary team.
1.5. Involvement in preparatory play, recognising any barriers to understand and using persuasive, motivational, negotiating, training, empathic or reassurance skills to gain agreement and co-operation.
1.6. To be aware of the detrimental effects of hospitalisation and in particular isolation and assist in identification of these effects, and to understand the effects of acute and chronic illness on the child and family, developing a supportive role related to play and distraction with other members of the ward team.
1.7. To have knowledge and ability to enable occasional short periods of patient handling to transfer children in wheelchairs or on their beds to the play area or to other departments within the hospital.
1.8. Make time to listen to anxious children, young people and family members including siblings and help give emotional support as required. Document and communicate relevant observations and information to other health care professionals where appropriate.
1.9. Through psychological preparation techniques and play, help to familiarise the child/young person and family with strange equipment, treatments and procedures, to aid informed consent and alleviation of any worries. Provide emotional support - fulfilling psychological, social and developmental needs including age/developmentally appropriate materials and methods both visual and verbal. Document relevant information for Health Care Professionals.
1.10. Following information and assessment of the patient provide distraction, diversional or participation therapies with the child/young person undergoing painful or invasive procedures. Use psychological preparation and distraction techniques as appropriate. Provide post-procedural play when necessary. Document and communicate to the relevant Health care Professionals.
1.11. Develop personal strategies to cope with occasional exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances e.g. dealing with children with challenging behaviour, providing play activities for children/young people who are being treated for life-limiting conditions.
1.12. Provide support to the nursing staff by
Explaining treatment and procedures by means of play.
To act as an escort when patients move to other departments, within the scope of the role.
Assist with feeding if appropriate, within the scope of the role.
To provide diversional therapy when a child is undergoing a procedure e.g. having a blood test.
1.13. To observe a personal duty of care in selecting and monitoring of play resources and to maintain and store play equipment in accordance with Trust Health and Safety Standards and Infection Control Policies. To ensure that all play equipment is maintained safely and that the play room/play areas are kept clean and tidy giving attention to the needs of immunosuppressed /compromised children.
1.14. Provide leadership and advice (related to role) or demonstrate own activities or workplace routines to new or less experienced employees in own work area.
1.15. To document and commission accurately all relevant interventions carried out in patient records in order to inform the wider MDT.
1.16. To be responsible for organising educational placements for students on early year and childhood study courses and liaise with the college tutor to provide written and verbal reports and evaluation on the student.
1.17. To liaise with other departments within the hospital promoting an awareness of play requirements and provision required for paediatric patients in other areas e.g. Plaster room, ultra-sound scanning, x-ray arranging appropriate resources as necessary.
1.18. To liaise with organisations such as Starlight Foundation to nominate children for wishes and to organise these with children and families.
1.19. To respect the individuality, cultural and religious diversity of patients and their families and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
1.20. To undertake mandatory training on an annual basis.
1.21. Participate in the yearly appraisal process for own appraisal and identify own learning needs.
1.22. Organise childrens entertainment programme for monthly visiting entertainers and celebrations as necessary.
1.23. To arrange rostering of the Play staff to provide cover for the in-patient, out-patient needs and to incorporate relevant study days, on a rotational basis with colleagues
1.24. Provide an input into paediatric oncology services
Assist with continuity of care between inpatient and outpatient care.
Assist in providing pastoral care for patients, siblings and parents e.g. Holidays, make-a-wish, Starlight foundation.
To assist in the social preparation and support for specific procedures e.g. Introduction of central venous access devices, finger prick testing.
To distribute and work with the Bead programme through Beads of Courage showing the journey being undertaken at this stage of their lives.
On request, participate in MDT meetings and give feedback on patients when requested.
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