Medical clowns: A significant contribution to medical care
Vary of abilities utilized by totally different MCs in numerous simulations. *The variety of abilities utilized by a MC could be greater than 40, as some abilities are repeated and have been counted cumulatively. Credit score: Qualitative Well being Analysis (2022). DOI: 10.1177/10497323221139781

A primary examine of its form by Tel Aviv College researchers examined the “secret magic” of medical clowns

Based on researchers from Tel Aviv College and the Israel Middle for Medical Simulation, “Medical clowns not solely assist the sufferers, however in addition they assist the mother and father, the medical workforce, and the achievement of therapeutic targets. Actually, by varied communication abilities, clowns allow sufferers to beat crises and transfer in the direction of therapeutic.”

A brand new examine that examined and categorized the talents of medical clowns discovered that their significance goes far past simply creating a great temper for sufferers. The researchers recognized 40 totally different abilities of medical clowns, together with establishing an emotional connection and creating a private relationship with the affected person, expressing the affected person’s voice about his/her frustrations and difficulties to the medical workers, growing the affected person’s motivation to stick to the medical remedy, distracting the affected person from ache, and creating an environment of video games and play.

The findings emphasize that the significance of clowns goes far past “offering only a good temper” for sufferers.

The analysis was performed underneath the management of Prof. Orit Karnieli-Miller, with Dr. Lior Rosenthal, each from the Division of Medical Training at Tel Aviv College, in collaboration with Ms. Orna Divon-Ophir, Dr. Doron Sagi, Prof. Amitai Ziv and Ms. Liat Pessach-Gelblum from the Israel Middle for Medical Simulation (MSR). The examine was printed in Qualitative Well being Analysis.

The researchers present that medical clowns not solely assist the sufferers and their relations, but in addition the medical workforce and the achievement of remedy targets. By means of use of various communication abilities, clowns make it simpler for the affected person to cooperate with one or one other remedy. The medical clowns work in a workforce with different therapists and know the right way to intervene and assist when an argument or disaster arises, and assist overcome it and advance remedy.

Earlier research confirmed medical clowns as educated professionals whose objective is to alter the hospital atmosphere by humor. Research performed all through the years have proven the clowns’ constructive affect on this and in serving to sufferers cope with ache. Nevertheless, up to now, no research have empirically mapped the talents they use and their therapeutic targets to assist perceive their “secret magic.”

As well as, there was an absence of broad understanding of how clowns may help youngsters, youngsters, and their mother and father in varied difficult conditions of misery and issue, in addition to how they may help sufferers and medical groups obtain remedy targets. This lack of appreciation of the potential advantages of using the providers of a medical clown meant that generally sufferers and medical groups may very well be reluctant to cooperate with them.

As a part of the brand new examine, the workforce of researchers targeted on qualitative, in-depth systematic identification of the talents of medical clowns by statement and evaluation of their actions in difficult encounters with adolescents, mother and father, and medical workers. The workforce analyzed videotaped periods of medical clowns in varied simulated conditions and performed in-depth interviews with professional medical clowns.

The researchers recognized forty totally different abilities utilized by the medical clowns to realize 4 therapeutic targets: 1) constructing a relationship and connecting to the wants and wishes of the sufferers; 2) coping with feelings and difficulties; 3) growing the affected person’s motivation to stick to the remedy plan; and 4) growing the affected person’s sense of management and offering encouragement to sufferers.

The clowns examined within the examine have been educated and recruited by the “Dream Docs Undertaking,” a non-profit affiliation that employs medical clowns as a part of the paramedical system in Israeli hospitals, and trains them to work inside multi-disciplinary groups. The Tel Aviv College researchers collaborated with the Israel Middle for Medical Simulation (MSR), which created a simulation-based workshop targeted on creating the talents of skilled medical clowns.

Prof. Karnieli-Miller says, “From the second they enter the room, the clowns type a bond with the sufferers, strengthen them, and provides them energy and standing throughout the medical system. They do that by an preliminary connection to the sufferers’ voice, and even to the sufferers’ reluctance to implement therapeutic suggestions—an emotional connection that always ends in the affected person altering their place and cooperating with the medical workers. The medical system is hierarchical, and it isn’t all the time simple for sufferers to navigate.”

“Subsequently, one of many abilities of medical clowns is to put themselves within the lowest place within the medical setting. By doing so that they empower the sufferers, giving the sufferers energy and management, together with the selection of whether or not to permit the clown to enter the room in addition to to dictate the character of the affected person’s function vis-à-vis that of the clown. This offers an elevated sense of management and provides the affected person braveness to face their challenges.”

The researchers emphasize that the clowns are very conscious of the emotional issue related to staying in a hospital and coping with an sickness. To cope with these points the clowns generally distract the affected person by utilizing props, humor, and creativeness. Different abilities embrace the clowns permitting the affected person to direct their frustrations in the direction of them, away from the medical workers or mother and father.

Relying on the scenario the clowns might also use a comforting contact, soothing music, empathetic listening, or a reinforcing assertion to offer an atmosphere the place the affected person feels comfy to specific their emotions. A affected person’s means to realize legitimacy is essential and is strengthened by the clowns.

Prof. Karnieli-Miller provides,”Mapping the talents and targets of the medical clowns improves their understanding of their function and will assist different well being professionals respect their work strategies and the advantages of incorporating these strategies into their very own practices when confronted with related challenges.”

Prof. Karnieli-Miller concludes, “This analysis is essential as a result of it permits the clowns to boost their coaching program and refine their numerous abilities to realize the varied therapeutic targets applicable for various sufferers, in addition to serving to well being professionals collaborate with the medical clowns.”

“If professionals within the well being care discipline will know the way and when to cooperate with the medical clowns, they are going to be capable of assist sufferers overcome challenges, and on the identical time they could be extra tolerant of the clowns’ ‘disruption’ of the hospital care routine. This appreciation of the clowns’ contribution will present the clowns with the time and house to attach with sufferers and assist and encourage sufferers to develop into extra energetic individuals of their remedy plan. Vital targets all well being professionals aspire to.”

Extra data:
Orit Karnieli-Miller et al, Extra Than Simply an Leisure Present: Identification of Medical Clowns’ Communication Abilities and Therapeutic Targets, Qualitative Well being Analysis (2022). DOI: 10.1177/10497323221139781

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Tel-Aviv College


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Medical clowns: A major contribution to medical care (2023, January 11)
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