'If not through play, I can't imagine how they would cope': The therapeutic potential of play for hospitalised children, their caregivers, and healthcare institutions.

PURPOSE: To explore the therapeutic potential of hospital play for children, their caregivers, and health professionals.

DESIGN AND METHOD: This exploratory qualitative study recruited 34 healthcare professionals from four hospitals in different regions of Chile through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using reflective thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Play helps children adapt to the hospital environment, reducing their stress and mitigating the risk of medical trauma. It also offers relief to families in distress and assists them in coping with the pain they may be experiencing in response to a child's illness or death. Furthermore, play is a vital resilience-building factor for health professionals, helping them manage the emotional challenges of paediatric care. Finally, play acts as a catalyst for organisational change by fostering a more inclusive, less hierarchical, and more child-friendly healthcare environment.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals a win-win dynamic of play, wherein supporting children's well-being through play during hospitalisation yields significant therapeutic benefits for the adults involved.

PRACTICE IMPLICATION: In a hospital, children's play should be recognised as an integral component of child-friendly nursing care. Many play activities would benefit from intergenerational participation, as these can strengthen bonds between children, families, and health professionals. Through intergenerational, family-based play interventions, nurses can promote trust and create a sense of community in challenging hospital settings.