For eight-year-old Shazma, who recently underwent a tonsillectomy, visiting the hospital was less intimidating thanks to some newly-installed decals designed for children undergoing surgery at Oak Valley Health’s Markham Stouffville Hospital.
Funded through the generous support of the community and the important work by Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, these colourful visuals are intended to engage young patients and are the latest addition to the Dr. Bear Program.
Created for patients aged four to 12 to help with and offer psychological preparation and support ahead of their procedures, the new decals will offer some distraction from their anxious feelings and turn their hospital journey into a playful adventure.
Shazma’s connection to the Dr. Bear Program runs deep. Her older brother is featured in the program’s video, which provides an overview and tour of the hospital for young patients. Shazma herself made a few cameos in the video as a toddler, and the experience left such an impression that she chose to bring the same comfort toy her brother had, as seen in the video, for her own procedure.
The Dr. Bear Program is facilitated by a child life specialist, whose role is to ensure our littlest patients have a positive experience while in hospital. Using these decals as tools for patient engagement, the child life specialist encourages young patients to interact with them using prompts, such as identifying what colour popsicle Dr. Bear is holding.
These playful decals—paw prints leading to the operating room, whimsical butterflies and bumble bees, and Dr. Bear images scattered along the halls—help young patients feel at ease and give them something else to focus on. And, having already met Dr. Bear during their pre-surgery tour, children recognize the friendly character on surgery day, at a time when familiarity is key to creating a sense of security and making the experience more fun.
“The Dr. Bear decals were such a thoughtful touch,” said Shazma’s mother, Jabeen. “They really helped ease Shazma’s anxiety ahead of her tonsillectomy. Seeing those bright, engaging characters along the way provided a welcome distraction and kept her mind off the procedure, which made the whole experience much less intimidating.”
By incorporating these thoughtful details, Oak Valley Health is creating a more comforting environment for its youngest patients, helping them focus on something positive rather than the anxieties of surgery.
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This article appeared in the September 2024 issue of The Link. To receive Oak Valley Health’s community newsletter, subscribe now.