Enlight of cooperation between School ofNursing and The University Hospital, children
and adolescents health nursing section coordinator ,Dr. omyyahNassar, held an interactive workshop for nursing staff
at the University Hospital entitled "Review children age group
characteristics and communication among hospitalized children”.This workshop reviewed the developmental characteristics of children in all
age groups including infants, toddlers, preschool , school –age, and adolescence stages with a focus on their psychological, emotional and social
development. Also, the workshop clarified the impact of illness and
hospitalization on childrenby explaining about the sources of stress and
anxiety among hospitalized children compared to adults. These sources include
separation anxiety from home, family, school, and friends, in addition to
anxiety and fear from bodily injury and pain accompanying medical examinations,
therapies, intravenous injections, and other medical and surgical tools, which
contributes to loss of control over their daily activities. Furthermore,
hospitalization force children to enter a strange place and to meet the health
care providers and other personnel who are strangers. Also, the workshop
highlighted the stresses that the family has due to hospitalization of the
child. Therefore, the workshop outlined the
significant role of nurses toward hospitalized children in decreasing their
stress and anxiety through implementing holistic nursing care based on
effective communication skills that may help children to adapt positively with
hospital which -in turn improve- their health and recovery.
