The Impacts of Nurse-Led Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) on Pediatric Nurses: A Qualitative Study

This study explored the impact of nurse-led child-centered play therapy (CCPT) on pediatric nurses in Qatar using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Through interviews and observations, nurses shared their experiences with using CCPT in pediatric care. The findings showed that CCPT helped reduce children's anxiety, improved cooperation during procedures, and strengthened nurse-patient relationships. Nurses also experienced increased empathy, job satisfaction, emotional well-being, and professional growth. However, challenges such as heavy workloads, limited time, resource constraints, and insufficient support hindered its consistent use. Overall, the study highlights that nurse-led CCPT benefits both children and nurses and supports more compassionate and holistic pediatric care.