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Tidskrift

Sammanfattning

When arriving in casualty, children are often shocked, insecure, anxious and in pain. They find themselves in an unknown place full of alien sounds and smells - and where they will be examined and treated. The objective of the development project «Hospital Clowns in Casualty» is to investigate whether hospital clowns can help provide reassurance and support children’s mastery of examination and treatment. With help from their parents, children have completed a questionnaire concerning their experience of the process and of meeting hospital clowns. In the interaction, hospital clowns in casualty focus on the child and support its coping by creating a safe and playful atmosphere. At the same time, the hospital clowns legalise the child's pain, anxiety and insecurity, they magnify difficult feelings and communicate through them. The child's scope for action is increased and it will be easier to move the focus from what has happened, the pain and insecurity to a sense of being able to cope with the situation. Furthermore, hospital clowns help the child to understand, manage and make sense of the unfamiliar situation - being in casualty.

MeSH