PSYC 450 is Liberty's undergraduate course on children in health care, the psychosocial care of young patients. Its written work is a site visit at a pediatric health care setting (a plan, then three 500-word observation journals from 15 hours with psychosocial staff), a health care presentation of 13 to 17 slides built through a topic selection and an annotated reference page, and five forums.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as PSYC 450 Children in Healthcare, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as PSYC450.
What PSYC 450 covers
The catalog description: This course will provide a foundational knowledge of the impact of medical illness/injury on the developmental and psychosocial well-being of children, adolescents, and their families within health care. Students will gain an understanding of therapeutic interventions utilized to help reduce the negative impact of illness and increase the child/family's ability to cope. The core areas discussed include psycho-education, therapeutic/supportive uses of play and expressive arts, death and dying, the health-care environment, family centered care, developmental stressors, and cultural and spiritual issues.
The course examines children's psychosocial needs across the health care continuum, including the child life profession, preparation for procedures, play, family-centered care and coping with illness, hospitalization and loss. The texts are Rollins, Bolig and Mahan, Meeting Children's Psychosocial Needs Across the Health-Care Continuum, and the Child Life Council's Official Documents.
A midterm and final exam (400 points) have no guide here. Most health care facilities require a background check and other steps before volunteering, so find a site immediately; an alternative journal assignment is available for students who cannot complete 15 hours. Each week after Week 1 runs Tuesday to Monday, and the final week ends Friday.
Textbook named in the published guide: Rollins et al. Meeting Children's Psychosocial Needs Across the Health-Care Continuum. (2018). Child Life Council. The Official Documents of the Child Life Council. (2011). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
PSYC 450 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 30 | Thread at least 300 words; replies at least 75 words |
| 1 | Site Visit Selection and Plan | 25 | 1 page |
| 2 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 30 | Thread at least 300 words; replies at least 75 words |
| 3 | Discussion Board Forum 3 | 30 | Thread at least 300 words; replies at least 75 words |
| 3 | Health Care Presentation Topic Selection | 10 | 3 ranked topics |
| 4 | Site Visit Journal 1 | 80 | At least 500 words |
| 5 | Site Visit Journal 2 | 80 | At least 500 words |
| 5 | Health Care Presentation References | 25 | At least 6 references with a paragraph each |
| 6 | Discussion Board Forum 4 | 30 | Thread at least 300 words; replies at least 75 words |
| 6 | Site Visit Journal 3 | 80 | At least 500 words |
| 7 | Discussion Board Forum 5 | 30 | Thread at least 300 words; replies at least 75 words |
| 7 | Health Care Presentation Final | 150 | 13 to 17 slides, not including the reference page |
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 1
A thread of at least 300 words on the week's topic, then replies of at least 75 words to 2 classmates. How to write PSYC 450 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 1: Site Visit Selection and Plan
A 1-page plan naming your pediatric site and how you will complete 15 observation hours. How to write PSYC 450 Week 1 Site Visit Selection and Plan.
Week 2: Discussion Board Forum 2
A thread of at least 300 words on the week's topic, then replies of at least 75 words to 2 classmates. How to write PSYC 450 Week 2 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 3: Discussion Board Forum 3
A thread of at least 300 words on the week's topic, then replies of at least 75 words to 2 classmates. How to write PSYC 450 Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 3.
Week 3: Health Care Presentation Topic Selection
Submit 3 topics from the provided list of health care topics, ranked by interest, for instructor approval. How to write PSYC 450 Week 3 Health Care Presentation Topic Selection.
Week 4: Site Visit Journal 1
A 500-word journal describing your observation hours at a pediatric health care site and their clinical implications. How to write PSYC 450 Week 4 Site Visit Journal 1.
Week 5: Site Visit Journal 2
A 500-word journal describing your observation hours at a pediatric health care site and their clinical implications. How to write PSYC 450 Week 5 Site Visit Journal 2.
Week 5: Health Care Presentation References
A reference page of at least 6 references for your presentation, each with a paragraph on its clinical implications. How to write PSYC 450 Week 5 Health Care Presentation References.
Week 6: Discussion Board Forum 4
A thread of at least 300 words on the week's topic, then replies of at least 75 words to 2 classmates. How to write PSYC 450 Week 6 Discussion Board Forum 4.
Week 6: Site Visit Journal 3
A 500-word journal describing your observation hours at a pediatric health care site and their clinical implications. How to write PSYC 450 Week 6 Site Visit Journal 3.
Week 7: Discussion Board Forum 5
A thread of at least 300 words on the week's topic, then replies of at least 75 words to 2 classmates. How to write PSYC 450 Week 7 Discussion Board Forum 5.
Week 7: Health Care Presentation Final
A 13 to 17-slide PowerPoint on your approved topic about children in health care, with 6 scholarly references plus the textbook and the Bible. How to write PSYC 450 Week 7 Health Care Presentation Final.
How PSYC 450 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. The five forums are 30 each (150), the site visit plan 25, the three journals 80 each (240), the presentation topic 10, references 25 and final presentation 150, exams 400 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Forums (5) | 150 |
| Site Visit Selection and Plan | 25 |
| Site Visit Journals (3) | 240 |
| Health Care Presentation Topic Selection | 10 |
| Health Care Presentation References | 25 |
| Health Care Presentation Final | 150 |
| Exams (2) | 400 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 900 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course module/week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach PSYC 450
Contact pediatric health care sites, such as a children's hospital child life department, in Week 1; background checks and orientation can take weeks, and the first journal is due in Week 4.
The presentation needs at least 6 scholarly references beyond the textbook and the Bible; the annotated reference page is due in Week 5.
Questions students ask
What is the PSYC 450 site visit?
At least 15 observation hours at a pediatric health care site with a psychosocial staff member, planned in a 1-page selection and plan (Week 1) and described in 3 journals of at least 500 words each (Weeks 4 to 6) on your experience and its clinical implications.
What is the PSYC 450 health care presentation?
A PowerPoint of 13 to 17 slides (plus references) on an approved topic about children in health care, with at least 6 scholarly references plus the textbook and the Bible, built through a ranked topic list and an annotated reference page.
Working through PSYC 450 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.