兒童醫療輔導(child life services)主要是幫助兒童與青少年在就醫時,提供醫療認知與心理準備、理解及社會心理等需求的專業服務,以醫療調適與身心支持為目標,減少恐懼焦慮與心理創傷。同時也要顧及到家長與手足等家庭成員以及照顧者,支持家庭面對疾病與醫療環境中各樣情境的調適與需求。兒童醫療輔導的工作是由兒童醫療輔導師(child life specialist)來執行。本文回顧世界兒童醫療輔導發展之歷史背景、兒童醫療輔導內涵、專業訓練與教育,以及兒童醫療輔導在兒童醫療照護上之運用與介入目標。同時說明目前在台灣推動兒童醫療輔導的初步發展模式,提供台灣兒童醫療相關醫護人員在兒童醫療照護與兒童醫療輔導概念之認識與實務工作運用之參考。
Child life services is a professional service that supports children and adolescents seeking medical treatment. These services provide age-appropriate medical understandings and psychological preparation, coping skills, and psychosocial support for children with the goal of reducing fear, anxiety, and psychological trauma during healthcare provision. In addition to supporting young patients, child life services also support family members and caregivers, facilitating their effective response to related disease and medical situations. Child life specialists are experts in providing child life services. This article reviews the historical development of child life services, including its development and theory, related professional training and education, and the application and intervention goals of child life services in medical care. Finally, the establishment and developmental model of promoting child life services in Taiwan are reviewed with the goal of providing information for the promotion and utilization of child life services by healthcare professionals in practice settings.