My name is Francesca Kizer, Child Life Specialist at Women's & Children's Hospital, and Child
Life has been a part of my life since I was 14 years old, when I was treated
for an abdominal tumor.
The part of my
hospitalization that I remember the most was when I worked with my Child Life
Specialist. She helped me to understand
why I was there, gave me fun things to do, and prepared me for any procedures,
while clarifying any misconceptions I had.
I knew from the day I left the hospital, that I would one day become
certified and devote my time to helping other children and their families during
their time at the hospital.
As a child, being in the hospital
can be very scary and confusing. Child
Life aims to help children cope, while working to decrease anxiety and fear in
children through play and education.
Whether it is playing a game at the bedside or in the activity room with
a child, or educating them about what an IV is by allowing them to place one on
a stuffed animal, we are here to meet their psychosocial needs. You can find us in all areas of the hospital,
including general pediatrics, surgery, PICU, NICU, emergency department, radiology,
and oncology/hematology.
I feel so blessed to have been
hired to work here at Women’s & Children’s for many reasons. Not only is it the only hospital in our area to have a Child Life program, but it has grown over the past five years,
due to the hard work of Janie Eldridge and Julie Mentel, to have a multitude of
resources for our patients and families.
For more information about Women's & Children's Child Life program click here, or call 337-521-9257
