Focus Games launches new educational game to improve communication between doctors and children

A new educational game to improve communication between medical professionals and children has been launched by Focus Games Ltd. Doctor Jargon (Paediatrics) is the first in the Dr Jargon series, designed to encourage health professionals to use simple, jargon-free language when talking to child patients about medical conditions, treatments and their health.

Medical terms sound like a foreign language to many people, and they can be particularly confusing for children. Being unwell or visiting the hospital can be a scary, overwhelming experience, and despite the best efforts of professionals, children can be left feeling confused. Paediatric patients can feel lost and frustrated in hospital but are more relaxed when they understand what’s really going on. Children should be given information that they can understand.

Dr Jargon is a fun and fast paced card game, designed to help players minimise their use of jargon and practice using more appropriate language with children.

Dr Victoria Rodulson, a doctor with an interest in paediatrics, came up with the idea for Dr Jargon to help make visiting hospital easier for children. Her aim was to develop a simple but fun resource which allowed health professionals to practice using ordinary, simple language, learning how to make things clearer and less frightening for children:

“I know that for many children coming into hospital is a scary and overwhelming experience. With this in mind, I developed the idea for Dr Jargon, and hope that by encouraging healthcare professionals and students to practise using child-friendly language in a fun way we can make staying in hospital a little easier for our paediatric patients.”

Dr Jargon (Paediatrics) challenges players to describe and guess medical conditions and treatments without using any of the “jargon words” listed on the card. If they use jargon, they’ll get “busted” by their opponents and lose points. Playing against the clock, teams must use alternative, child-friendly descriptions to help their team mates recognise the treatment or condition.

Playing Dr Jargon will help students and health professionals to practice vital communication skills and improve the way they talk to children. The benefits of playing Dr Jargon aren’t limited to staff working in children’s hospitals and wards – it’s suitable for any health professional. Dr Jargon will help anyone working with children to improve the way they communicate with children.

Dr Jargon (Paediatrics) contains over 150 cards covering medical conditions, procedures and treatments which are common to children and is available from educational games specialists, Focus Games Ltd.