When I set out in 1996 to create an acronym that would teach people how to provide a less threatening environment for children undergoing medical procedures, I never dreamed I'd be blogging...probably because I didn't even know how to turn on a computer, and blogging wasn't even a word back then. Honestly, during my senior year of college, Iowa State University decided it was about time to computerize the library. I never went back.
Here it is, 15 years later and people have been talking about "that ONE VOICE thing I heard about." Did I dream 15 years ago that I would apply for a copyright on ONE VOICE, start my own website, present on ONE VOICE at the National Child Life Conference, create a PowerPoint to sell as well as other merchandise? Um....heck no!! Am I glad that I have and that I am??!! Heck yes!! What an exciting journey this has been!! My main goal has been to empower other child life specialists to help health care professionals create a less threatening environment for our pediatric patients. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I am!! Well....as much as I am now that I'm over the "I have so much to figure out but don't have any money and don't have a clue what I'm doing" phase. I still don't have it all figured out, but hey, it's definitely getting better!!
If you stumbled onto this blog by accident, click on the following link to see what the buzz is all about...http://www.onevoice4kids.com/
Probably the one question I get asked the most is, "How do I implement ONE VOICE? I totally believe in it, but I'm not sure the nurses will buy into it?" That's a great question...and unfortunately, not one that has an easy answer. (What?! This ONE VOICE lady doesn't have all the answers?!! Well as a matter of fact I do, but I can't always get everyone to listen either!!) This is what I've learned in my 20+ years as a child life specialist...contrary to popular belief, we can't always perform miracles. We don't always have our magic bubble wand, pop up book or iPad that is going to make everything all okay. What we DO have though, is a working knowledge that the elements of ONE VOICE will absolutely make a difference to the children we serve! We just have to get the staff to listen....not always the easiest of tasks.
My best advice is this; start with the ONE VOICE PowerPoint Presentation. There is enough information in this presentation to back up what we're saying. It gives the components and the rationale. Not only is it a great tool to teach child life students about creating a less threatening environment, it also has a lot of information geared toward the medical staff who "just don't think like a child life specialist." Do you have staff that need to have research behind it in order to believe it? The PowerPoint has it.
What I've found is that usually, each person attending the PowerPoint presentation will identify with at least one element of the ONE VOICE philosophy; there will be at least one thing will make sense to them. (What??!! Won't they just take my word for it that it all works? Um...no. If they do, then call me...I'll want to meet them!) If you stop to think about it, getting a staff member to buy into one element of ONE VOICE is probably better that what you had when you woke up this morning, right? But what happens if another nurse doesn't buy into the same component? What if he or she actually makes sense out of a different component? Ahhh....this is the beauty of it all. What inevitably will happen is that they will convince each other that the component they believe in, makes sense. Now instead of having staff that might have only believed in one component, you may now have staff that believe in two components...and you didn't even have to call in back up!! Once you've got them talking, you just need to make good examples of what you see them practicing, "Wow. It really made a difference when you let that little girl sit on her mom's lap. I know she still cried, but it really made a difference to both the patient and her mom!" See where I'm going with this? Chances are, different components will speak to different people so hopefully this will work to your advantage!
From here, now you just keep it fresh in everyone's minds by talking about it, making good examples out of those practicing the ONE VOICE components, and with the ONE VOICE posters and ID name badge cards. (All ONE VOICE merchandise is available from http://www.onevoice4kids.com/) The posters work really well when placed in break rooms, staff bathrooms and when tattooed to staff foreheads!!! (Remember...if you DO decide to go the "tattooed foreheads" route...make sure you practice ONE VOICE!)
Awesome blog post and layout!!
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