Anna Tran:
Care Through A Child's Perspective

As a child life specialist at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Anna Tran helps ease the fear and uncertainty children and their families may have about being hospitalized. She and her colleagues help children understand medical procedures through therapeutic play and offer pyschosocial and emotional support.

What is a child life specialist?
We are pediatric healthcare professionals trained to work with infants, children and adolescents up to 20 years of age and their families to manage the stress and trauma of long-term hospitalization. We collaborate with the medical team in order to know what type of procedure the patient will have, what equipment will be used, where an incision will be, the day and time of the procedure and everything needed to prepare the patients psychologically at their developmental age of understanding.

What brought you to UCLA and how did you become a child life specialist?
I became aware of the child life field when I was a volunteer at UCI Medical Center from 1998 to 2001 as a student. I earned my bachelor's degree in applied ecology, a combination of biology and environmental health, and furthered my education in the field through a master's program at University of La Verne. Following that, I attained my certification as a Certified Child Life Specialist through the Child Life Council.

What are examples of strategies you use with patients?
Depending on the patient's cognitive, emotional and physical development, we use a range of developmentally appropriate activities, including medical play, therapeutic interventions and education. For example, we allow patients to manipulate actual hospital equipment, such as syringes, gauze and IVs, similar to the ones that they will use to help them become familiar and less fearful. Studies have shown that by taking away some of the misconceptions, recovery time can be shortened.

What do you find most rewarding about your job?
I'm always humbled when patients return to the hospital for follow-up visits and drop by just to say "hi" and to thank me for helping them. There are times when I've felt I hadn't done a lot for a patient, but then he or she surprises me with a thank-you card or a stop-by visit.

What do you find most challenging about your job?
Compassion, understanding and patience are really important when working with children and their medical needs. It can be emotionally difficult at times, especially when there is a death, but I've found our staff to be available and supportive of each other.

How is the new hospital different from the old and how has it helped you and your patients?
The space, additional light from the windows and privacy has really helped the moods of our patients and their parents. We get to meet more people and support them with our holistic patient care plan. The Child Life program is also growing at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital in their pediatric and PICU departments.

Ten years from now, what do you see yourself doing?
I love working with kids, so I would want to continue my job as a child life specialist. Our field is expanding, so I would like to be able to help children in all kinds of settings. For instance, I would love to participate in the Operation Smile program, assisting underprivileged patients in third-world countries with free medical assistance.

What are your hobbies?
I'm quite active in sports and am a member of the softball league through work. I love to travel and have just come back froma trip to Australia.