Ruth’s role is child’s play!

Ruth Mairs is a Play Specialist based in A2 children’s ward at Antrim Area Hospital.

She uses therapeutic play to support children, young people and their families during their stay in hospital.

To mark Play in Healthcare Week, Ruth gives us an insight into her role and what it involves.

What made you decide to become a Health Play Specialist?

I began my career working as a classroom assistant and nursery assistant. After some years I wanted a change and I found the ‘Specialised Play for Sick Children and Young People’ course.  This was the first time I had ever heard of the title Health Play Specialist. As part of the course I worked one day per week on placement in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children which I loved and I knew from then this was what I wanted to do.

When I qualified there were no Health Play Specialist job vacancies. I worked in the community children’s nursing team for a few years as a School Health and Learning Assistant until the post came up in A2 in 2017 and I have been here ever since!

Tell us a bit about your role.

My role is to support the emotional wellbeing of children when they are in hospital as it can be an anxious time for a child who may be very unwell and require a lot of treatment.

I prepare children for various procedures through play, for example, using a teddy and theatre mask to demonstrate having an anaesthetic or syringe play with paint for children who are refusing medicine.

I use play to help the child understand their illness or injury, treatment they will receive and to answer any questions they have. Distraction is also an important part of what we do to help minimise anxiety and stress around procedures.

The Health Play Specialist can also create Developmental Play Programmes for longer term patients on the ward by working along with other members of the Multi – Disciplinary Team such as Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapists.  This helps aid recovery or continue developmental progress when children are hospitalised for longer periods.

What is the best bit about your role and what are you most proud of to date?

The best part about being a Health Play Specialist is the reward of helping children feel happier and less anxious in what can sometimes be a traumatic experience for them and their families. I also feel privileged to work as part of a great paediatric team who value the Health Play Specialist role.

The most fun thing about my role are the various titles children give me such as the ‘bubble nurse’ or the ‘yellow toy nurse’.

18th October 2024