Child Life Procedure Preparation and Support Flashcards
6 cards from real Child Life Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Child Life Procedure Preparation and Support flashcards as text
When preparing a child for surgery, the MOST important information to assess FIRST is:
Answer: The child's developmental level, previous medical experiences, and coping style
Individualized assessment of the child's development, history, and coping informs how the preparation should be tailored for maximum effectiveness.
Medical play BEFORE a procedure differs from medical play AFTER a procedure primarily in its:
Answer: Therapeutic purpose — preparation versus processing
Pre-procedure medical play focuses on familiarization and preparation, while post-procedure medical play facilitates emotional processing and mastery of the experience.
A child life specialist is preparing a 3-year-old for a CT scan. Which preparation strategy is MOST developmentally appropriate?
Answer: Using a toy scanner and a doll to demonstrate the process with sensory information
Three-year-olds learn through concrete, sensory experiences. A toy scanner with a doll allows them to see, touch, and understand the process at their developmental level.
When a procedure must be performed emergently with no time for full preparation, the child life specialist should:
Answer: Provide brief, essential sensory information and coping support during the procedure
Even in emergencies, brief sensory preparation and real-time coping support can reduce distress and improve the child's experience.
The use of honest, concrete language like 'You will feel a poke and a sting' rather than 'It won't hurt' is important because:
Answer: Honest preparation builds trust and reduces anxiety from the unexpected, while false reassurance damages credibility
Honest sensory preparation allows children to anticipate and prepare for actual sensations, maintaining trust. False reassurance ('it won't hurt') destroys trust when the child does experience pain.
A child life specialist is preparing a school-age child for a bone marrow biopsy. The child asks 'Will it hurt?' The BEST response is:
Answer: You will feel some pressure and it might be uncomfortable, but we have a plan to help you get through it
An honest, balanced response acknowledges the reality of the sensation while emphasizing the coping plan, maintaining trust without catastrophizing.