Source: Waikato District Health Board
Coming to hospital for surgery can be a daunting experience for any parent and their child. Waikato Hospital’s Day of Surgery Admission (DOSA) team have been working hard to make the experience more pleasant and relaxing for children.
Thanks to the initiatives of Theatre and Perioperative Services Administration Team Leader Katrina Downing and Administrator Sam Mitchell, the team has implemented novel ideas aimed at providing distraction and comfort to children during the waiting period.
Inspired by a vet clinic’s mural, Sam Mitchell collaborated with illustrator Scott Pearson from Visual Evolution to design a large, colourful custom art wall in the DOSA children’s waiting room. Depicting the hospital and landmarks of greater Waikato, the new art wall engages children (and their whānau) with hidden items for them to find.
The team sourced activity bags containing crayons, an activity book, stickers, games, and colouring sheets matching the new artwork, which children are able to take away with them.
The waiting room is also equipped with toddler-friendly ride-on cars, sensory play spaces with squidgy floor tiles, and a fish tank.
Operations Manager Theatre and Anaesthesia, Niki Houghton is thrilled to see the positive changes made by the DOSA team.
“The cars and the wall art are a huge hit with waiting toddlers and their parents.
“We can have up to five children and their parents in the waiting room at a time. These interactive distractions make a big difference,” says Niki.
Looking ahead, the DOSA team is focusing on the creation of a sensory room for special needs patients. With features like a sparkle cloud, bubble tube, and a projector with visual effects, the room aims to provide a calm and safe space. These additions are expected within the next two months.
Photo – Transformation team: (left-right) Sam Mitchell, Charge Nurse Manager DOSA Raewyn Wilson, Katrina Downing and Niki Houghton.