Ideas That Work: Kids Love to Drive Themselves to Surgery

JOY RIDE Children are all smiles as they drive themselves to the OR.

NEXT UP Staff drive the battery-powered truck back to the pre-op area to pick up the next patient.

Kids Love to Drive Themselves to Surgery

Our pediatric patients drive themselves to surgery in a pint-sized Ford F-150. The battery-powered vehicles are available at any big box toy store for about $500. We've found that it's a small price to pay to reduce a child's anxiety during what's a very stressful time for them and their parents. The unexpected perk since we bought the truck? The smallest member of our clinical team gets to drive it back to the pre-op area to pick up the next patient.

Vicki Squires, MMEd, CCLS
The Children's Hospital of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
[email protected]