Ideas That Work: Kid-Friendly

Our surgery center hosts small infants and young adults, so we always come up with many different ways to establish trust with our patients and reassure them before surgery. When we first opened, we came up with the idea to draw smiley faces on our masks with Sharpies. It was comical, but it ?also broke the stereotypical mold of surgical personnel being perceived as cold and serious. The fun and funny faces gave infants and toddlers something to focus on as we carried them away from their parents and back to the OR. We've stopped the practice due to infection concerns during the COVID pandemic, but still look back fondly at the creative way we made kids smile during a stressful time.

Sue White, RN
CHKD Princess Anne Surgery Center
Virginia Beach, Va.
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