3/6/23 Happy Caps Comfort Children Having Surgery at Ripon Community Hospital
6 March 2023 News
The SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital Surgical Services team, along with the hospital Auxiliary, are collaborating to offer a small but intimate way to alleviate common fears in children facing surgical procedures.
Thanks to the Auxiliary, all pediatric surgery patients at Ripon Community Hospital now receive a custom pediatric surgical cap that they can take home at discharge. Surgical caps are worn by both patients and surgical staff as part of operating room protocol.
Hospitals, especially operating rooms, can be a frightening place for children. The colorful, happy caps give children a distraction from an otherwise, stressful situation.
“We know that children who have surgery at Ripon, like other hospitals, are really nervous,” says Sidney Aalsma, RN, Ripon Community Hospital Surgical Services manager. “We’ve always found unique ways that we can help our pediatric patients feel more in control, have a little fun and be less fearful. The personalized surgical cap is another avenue we now have.”
For example, when blood pressure is being checked, as staff is placing the blood pressure cuff on the child, the child is told the team is going to measure their muscles. In other cases, a stick of chap stick is placed in the child’s mask and they are asked what scent they can smell through their mask.
“Children are stressed because of the surgery, and this gives them some control of the whole process,” Aalsma explains. “It doesn’t take away all the stress, but it helps. It also helps the parents, because it gets them involved with helping them pick the hat.”
When an employee’s colorful surgical cap came up in discussion, Jenifer Bunker, RN, director of Ripon Community Hospital Inpatient, Emergency and Surgical Services, suggested reaching out to the hospital’s Auxiliary to begin making handmade surgical caps for pediatric patients.
“How exciting it can be for our pediatric patients to be able to choose from many different surgical caps with different colors and patterns as opposed to wear the traditional plain blue bouffant,” according to Bunker. “Now, we can have a pediatric patient can pick out a hat and then they can keep it, It’s kind of cool and fun.”
The new surgical caps are just rolling out with 13 being done thanks to Jeanne Payton, Ripon Community Hospital Auxiliary Sewing Committee chairperson.
“Making them is all about helping children,” Payton says. “If one little thing can make them feel less stress then it is definitely worth the time and effort. And I know that others would feel the same. Being able to help and possibly making a difference, makes me feel good too.”
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