SJD Sant Boi Hospital incorporates electric cars to improve the pediatric surgical experience
Through symbolic play, children have fun and face surgical intervention with more calmness and less anxiety.
The action has been launched thanks to a donation from the international company Aosom
Entering the operating room while driving electric cars It is already a reality for children to have surgery in theSaint John of God Hospital Sant Boi. Children between two and six years old who have a scheduled Otolaryngology operation They will be able to enter the operating room by 'driving' one of the three toy vehicles that the Hospital makes available to the little ones thanks to the second donation of the international online sales company Aosom. Although the real driver is the healthcare team, the fact of being protagonists in the transfer to the operating room and being able to exchange the traditional stretcher for a vehicle provides them with numerous benefits.
Through the symbolic game, children have fun and cope with more peace of mind and less anxiety the surgical intervention. “The main objective of this action is to transform an experience that can be traumatic into a game, with a fun journey that moves away from traditional bunk beds,” explains Elena Fernández, specialist nurse in Child Life at the SJD Sant Boi Hospital, which is responsible for pre-operative preparation with the families.
This action, added to all the work that the nurse does in the pre-surgical consultation reduces preoperative stress, anxiety and fear. Furthermore, starting the entire process with this action improves children's readiness for the intervention, making them more collaborative with the medical team and facilitating anesthetic induction. Transforming the healthcare environment into a friendlier space also has an impact on families, who experience it with less discomfort and feel more relaxed when they see that the child enters calm, entertained and happy.
The role of the Child Life specialist in the preoperative period
The Hospital started last October the pediatric surgical operations with the Otorhinolaryngology Service. With the launch of this new service, the figure of the specialist nurse in Child Life was also incorporated into the Hospital.
These professionals, trained in health and childhood, contribute to reducing the impact of hospitalization to children and, through the therapeutic game, help them adapt to a hospital process such as a surgical procedure. In addition, they also promote their emotional well-being with psychological preparation.
