午夜剧场

I first learned about the profession of Child Life Specialist (hereafter, CLS) when I visited a children's hospital while participating in a nursing training program in Pittsburgh, USA, during my time as a nursing student. I remember being moved when I first met a CLS and heard about their work and role. I was very surprised to learn that what I had wanted to practice as a nurse for hospitalized children was already being done by CLS as a specialized profession in the United States. After graduation, while working in the mixed pediatric surgery ward at 午夜剧场 Hospital, I still wanted to become a CLS and went to study in the United States.

It has been nearly ten years since I returned to Japan after obtaining my CLS certification and started working as a CLS here. A CLS is a professional who provides psychosocial support to reduce the psychological burden that children and families may face in medical settings, helping children understand their illnesses and treatments so they can participate in their medical care proactively. Currently, 45 CLSs are working in 34 facilities in Japan.

While facing children and families who require treatment for various illnesses, I aim for the goal of discharge by running alongside them—sometimes giving the child a gentle push to help them overcome surgery or treatment, and sometimes pulling them up. From the perspective of a CLS, who is not a medical practitioner, I value building relationships and interacting with children so that I can be a presence that puts them at ease and someone to whom they can express their true feelings and thoughts. I play with children, laugh loudly with them, sometimes scold them, and sometimes cry with them. It is challenging to accept a child's raw thoughts and emotions, but there are many things I realize through my interactions with them.

To become a CLS, one must study in the United States to obtain the certification. While also engaging in the activities of the Japanese Association of Child Life Specialists, I hope that in the near future, it will be possible to study this in specialized courses at Japanese universities. I am grateful for the learning and opportunities I received at 午夜剧场, which allowed me to broaden my horizons by studying American medical sites and nursing during my student days and to find what I should aim for by meeting a CLS. Without that precious experience, I would not be who I am today as a CLS. Furthermore, the various knowledge and experiences I gained as a nurse are very useful in my current work, leading to my skills as a CLS and serving as my foundation.

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.