Parental support on the paediatric emergency ward at UKBB provides relief and less stress

For many years now, the UKBB has provided support for parents during operations: BELOP. The dedicated parent carers can answer parents' questions, help them find their way around the hospital building or, depending on the situation, can also provide valuable emotional support by simply being there.

After a test phase and a further year of development work, a similar support service for the emergency ward was able to start regular operations at the beginning of 2024. Here, too, dedicated parent carers look after the well-being of parents and children with the necessary sensitivity. The need for this has arisen in the course of the coronavirus pandemic and the increasing number of cases on the emergency ward.

Valuable relief in the evening hours

The parent carers are now on duty every day, in the evening hours between 7.30 and 10.30 pm, when the emergency ward is often particularly busy. In the treatment areas or in the plaster room, they provide children with toys when they need a distraction. They give parents some respite by supervising their children while they are on the phone, getting snacks or drinks or need to go to the toilet, for example. Or they provide information if another urgent emergency intervenes and extends the waiting time.

"The parent carers take on the many small but important tasks and kind gestures on the emergency ward that the nursing staff hardly have time for, especially during peak times," says Tina Baumgartner, Head of Nursing Emergency Ward. "The offer brings relief for everyone: the children, their parents and also for the staff. As a side effect, the treatment also goes much better if typical stress and frustration factors don't arise in the first place thanks to good support while waiting. We can take care of the child directly and don't have to smooth things over first."

An offer from the Pro UKBB Foundation

The support service on the emergency ward is supported and organised by the Pro UKBB Foundation, which already makes BELOP possible. In collaboration with the UKBB HR department, the foundation recruits suitable parent carers, plans their assignments and is the point of contact for all matters relating to the parent carers. This means that the new service does not create any additional administrative work for the emergency team.

"The Pro UKBB Foundation also emphasises the importance of clearly distinguishing the role of parent support from other responsibilities," says Nicole Herrmann, Managing Director of the Pro UKBB Foundation. "Parent counsellors can provide emotional support, but the care team remains responsible for psychological support. If a situation threatens to escalate in the waiting area, this is the responsibility of the security service. And everything to do with medicine and care remains the task of the specialists."

Herrmann says: "The test phase has shown that it is helpful if the parent carers have a professional background from outside the hospital. Human skills are the most important aspect of this task."

Nine parent carers currently share the duties on the emergency ward. They receive a symbolic allowance for taking on this meaningful task.