A Recreation Room for adolescents who are hospitalized at a tertiary-care Center: Care Program for Hospitalized Adolescents

Hospital admission is a high-impact event in children. Adolescence is a critical and complex period of human development that may be adversely affected by hospitalization. At the Garrahan Hospital, where adolescents account for more than 30% of inpatients, a program for comprehensive care of adolescents was set up in 2008 with a special focus on their specific needs. As a part of this program, the aim of the Recreation Room for Hospitalized Adolescents is to provide a friendly environment to reduce stress and anxiety and to facilitate the learning of healthy behaviors, under the permanent care of nurses and medical doctors. Interventions in health, leisure time, education, and emotional care are effective in diminishing the negative impact of hospitalization and prevent risk behaviors. Our objective was to report our experience in the Recreation Room for Hospitalized Adolescents.