The world of the child: a world of play even in the hospital.

Play is an integral part of a child's life. Working with children in the hospital is based on the worldly view that claims that the patient is first and foremost a child. Investing in his mental well-being will assist him and his parents to better cope with his illness and hospitalization. From this point of view, many activities have been developed at Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel (SCMCI), where the focus is on play. It is vital that the nurses work in cooperation with the educational staff and also integrate components of play during routine activity, in preparing children for surgeries and invasive procedures, and during painful or uncomfortable interventions. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.