Shore Medical Center hosts St. Joseph students to take fear out of hospital visits
SOMERS POINT — Shore Medical Center hosted three-dozen second-graders from St. Joseph Regional School on May 29 for a field trip designed to alleviate the fear children may feel when visiting the emergency room.
“For many children, hospitals and ER visits can feel overwhelming and scary simply because they’re unfamiliar. Our ER team and Hospital Medicine director wanted to create a hands-on, kid-friendly experience that helps take away some of that fear while also teaching students about the people and equipment they may experience in an emergency situation,” hospital spokesman Brian Cahill stated in a news release.
The students rotated through seven interactive stations led by hospital team members, including seeing how an EMS stretcher works, learning about pediatric triage and how ER staff determine what level of care is needed and seeing how lab draws work using a “Buzzy Bee” comfort device.
Students also explored portable X-ray equipment, learned how a nebulizer works with respiratory therapy, met pediatric service dog Delilah and learned what happens when a patient is admitted to the hospital and when they go home.
Everything was designed for elementary-age students, complete with stuffed dolphin “patients” they practiced on, coloring books featuring mascot Fin the Dolphin and lots of opportunities for questions and interaction.
Dr. Daniel Jacoby, director of Hospital Medicine, and members of the emergency department team welcomed the students and their chaperones.
“Our goal is for the kids to understand that the hospital’s not a scary place — it’s here to help people — and to kind of just give them a primer and desensitize what might be an otherwise scary thing to show them that if they’re coming here, they’re going to be treated well,” Jacoby said.
“They’ll touch all the equipment, they’ll be able to interact with EMS providers and they’ll know when they come to the ER — this is not a scary place — what to expect when you come to the emergency department,” said Sherri Richmond, administrative director of the Emergency Department.
The presentation started with a call to 911.
“If you’re really sick and you need to call 911 and come to the ER, you’re going to meet our EMTs, nurses that are on the 911 truck, and they’re going to explain to them, you might be put on a cardiac monitor, heart monitor. It’s nothing to be scared about. Maybe you might need to have a little bit of suctioning done. Maybe you might need to have some oxygen,” Richmond said.
Next, the students moved to the triage area, where their health was assessed using a blood pressure cuff, thermometer, heart monitor and stethoscope.
“Blood pressures can even be scary. You know, we call it a hug on the arm. It gets tight, and if you don’t know it’s going to get tight, that’s scary,” Richmond said.
After seeing the doctor, it was time to get some lab work done.
“They’re going to have to have some labs drawn, which is also always a terrifying thing for a child,” she said.
Anne Bertino of the lab department explained the “Buzzy Bee,” which vibrates and freezes to stimulate the arm and draw attention away from the needle.
“This focuses the child as opposed to what we’re doing,” Bertino said.
She also explained the shot blocker, another form of misdirection for youngsters.
“If we’re going to do an IV up here, you’re going to feel this, the little pricks. So that kind of deters you,” Bertino said.
Students also got to check out a tourniquet and touch the splints for the arm and leg, as well as an ace wrap.
“That can be scary too when you’re getting ready to put an ace wrap on someone,” Bertino said.
Marmora resident Karen McKinley of the Respiratory Therapy Department explained how they treat children.
“We usually will put a clip on their finger to check their pulse and then we have to put a mask on them usually,” she said. “We have a couple options. We have a dragon mask to help them float. They have a bubble fish mask. And if they’re really little, we have a turtle.”
Richmond said the introduction lessens fear due to familiarity.
“If we can prep children before they come to this ER, it’s just seamless. When the child’s calm, the parents are calm,” she said.
The visit was part of a series of events held that day. They took a walking tour of Somers Point to learn about community resources and support, starting out at the Atlantic Count library branch in the former city hall, visited the Somers Point Police Department to see the 911 call center and then the hospital, where they had lunch.
Jacoby, whose wife works at the school, credited Richmond with the program of events.
“Obviously, we can’t have them walking around in clinical areas where they could be exposed to someone who’s sick,” he said, noting Richmond “came up with this idea to have different stations that’ll walk us through the course of having an emergency and needing to come to the ER.”
David Hughes, president and CEO of Shore Medical Center, said the event highlights the hospital’s focus on the community.
“This is our future. So, our goal is that they become employees of ours, nurses and doctors,” he said of the students.
– STORY by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
