PEMBERIAN TERAPI STORYTELLING TERHADAP TINGKAT KECEMASAN ANAK USIA 3-6 TAHUN AKIBAT HOSPITALISASI PADA ERA NEW NORMAL

THE APPLICATION OF STORYTELLING THERAPY TO ANXIETY LEVELS OF CHILDREN AGED 3-6 YEARS DUE TO HOSPITALIZATION IN THE NEW NORMAL ERADivasepti Uki Karisidiana1, Budiyati2, Indah Noer Farida31) Student of Semarang Nursing Applied Undergraduate Study Program and Health Nurses Poltekkes Health Ministry of Health Semarang2) Nursing Lecturer at the Semarang Health Polytechnic, The Ministry of Health of Semarang3Nurse of RSUD K.R.M.T WongsonegoroEmail : divauki29@gmail.comBackground: Since the early stages of the spread of Corona Virus Disease-19 (Covid-19), children have been identified as a vulnerable group. Covid-19 is forcing everyone to live a new life or a new normal era. Not only children's parents are also required to implement strict health protocols such as wearing masks, washing hands regularly, and maintaining distance. While the process of growth and development of children continues and is not always in optimal health conditions but will also be in the range of health and illness which sometimes makes children have to undergo treatment in hospital. This condition forces them to drastically distance themselves from their peers, changes their daily habits, and makes them feel like they have lost all certainty about their future and their loved ones. This condition will make the child experience anxiety due to the hospitalization experienced. Management of anxiety that occurs in children can be done pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically in the form of complementary therapy. One of the complementary therapies that can be given easily and cheaply is storytelling therapy.Purpose of Study: To reduce the level of anxiety in children aged 3-6 years due to hospitalization in the Sadewa 4 RSUD K.R.M.T Wongsonegoro, Semarang City, Central Java Province.Methods: The design used in this research is a case study with intervention in the form of storytelling therapy to reduce the anxiety level of children aged 3-6 years due to hospitalization in the Sadewa 4 RSUD K.R.M.T Wongsonegoro, Semarang City, Central Java Province.Results: After the action of giving storytelling therapy, it was found that there was a decrease in anxiety levels in children aged 3-6 years who experienced anxiety due to hospitalization. Respondents in this case study were children aged 3-6 years who were treated in the Sadewa 4 RSUD K.R.M.T Wongsonegoro, Semarang City and experienced mild or moderate levels of anxiety. Storytelling therapy can be used as a complementary therapy of pharmacological therapy that children get at the hospital. Storytelling therapy has proven to be effective in helping to reduce anxiety levels.Conclusion: The application of storytelling therapy intervention in children aged 3-6 years is effective in reducing the level of anxiety in children due to hospitalization.Keywords: Storytelling therapy, anxiety, preschool children, and hospitalization