Funding outcome

As a parent of two, I know the stress of sitting in an emergency department (ED) waiting room with a sick child, wishing for something to lessen their fear and uncertainty. Our team's earlier research has shown that using robots to provide distraction during medical procedures, such as IV insertions, lessens child stress and anxiety. We have also shown that robots providing caregiver education and distraction in ED waiting rooms reduce caregiver anxiety and improve satisfaction with care, but there is little research specifically directed at decreasing child fear and stress in the waiting room. A positive waiting room experience can shape a family's entire medical journey, as it is often their first point of contact with the healthcare system. So far we have successfully completed the initial data collection and recruitment, but need further support to analyze the data and present results. Data were collected by surveying children, their caregivers, and triage nurses on days where robot interaction was present compared to days with a 'typical' waiting room experience without robot presence. A small humanoid robot (MEDi) was used to distract children with music and dance, as well as guided mindfulness relaxation techniques. Children reported their fear using the Children's Fear Scale (CFS) and the Child Scary Scale (CSS), while anxiety was measured with a child version of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) tool. Pain was measured with the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R). Caregiver, triage nurse, and child satisfaction with their waiting room experience was measured with a 5-point scale. By understanding if a robot presence can lessen children's fear, along with increasing child, caregiver, and nursing staff satisfaction, we aim to help healthcare providers deliver the best care for children presenting to increasingly busy and stressful pediatric EDs. Through this research, we can better the waiting room experiences for families at the Stollery, and beyond.