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The
Children's Wing |
Most kids under the age of
eighteen stay in the Pediatrics ward or wing. There, they
can eat, sleep, play and rest. Most kids go through
Pre-testing and tours to show them what being at the hospital
will be like. Sometimes kids
have Same Day surgery where they have surgery and go home the
same day. In the hospital that we visited, you get to go
to the Pediatrics wing even if you go home the same day.
Kids stay as long as it takes to get better.
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Kids are encouraged to bring their own stuffed
animal and pj's so that they feel more at home and
comfortable. Do it! It makes a lot of difference.
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This wing is for kids only and is
very cheerful. They decorate for
holidays and have a neat
playroom. There are TONS of
toys and games there! Also
books. Sometimes
the hospital brings in visitors to perform for the kids in the wing. |
 
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Most of the time, when you leave Admitting, you will be taken to
Pediatrics to get ready for surgery. Your parents will be able to stay with
you and help you if you need it. [You probably won't.] Parents can even
stay overnight in most hospitals. You will put on the hospital pj's
for the surgery because they are especially made so that the
doctors can reach the hurt area better. You will be able
to change into your own pajamas when you get back to the
Children's Wing.
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Blood pressure
equipment hanging on the wall. |
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Once you are dressed, the nurse will take your blood pressure. This
means that the nurse will put a blood pressure cuff on your arm and
pump air into it. This squeezes your arm VERY tightly and then the
nurse lets the air out. This tells the nurse your blood pressure and heart
rate and if you ask nicely, they just might show you your numbers! They
need this information for the anesthesiologist and the surgeon. |
At this point, the nurse or anesthesiologist will put the
I.V.
into your
wrist. This will be like the blood test a little and you will have to make a
fist again. It will pinch you for a minute and then you will not feel it. The
I.V. is a tube that attaches to a bag that hangs from a stand with wheels
[just in case you want to walk around with it.] There is one tube for
fluids and sugar because your body needs these and one tube that they
use for any medicine you need. The 'Sleepy' medicine that allows you
to rest before surgery is put in there.
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The nurse will put your wrist in something called
'casting' or a block which is a hard,
molded brace that goes under your wrist. Gauze is wrapped around it
so that when you wake up in the Recovery room, you don't hurt
or pull at the
tubing.
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You will get on a stretcher with wheels so that you can go to the
Operating Room. Your parents can go with you as you
get sleepy from the medicine. Do check out the neat elevators for
stretchers, though. The giant wall buttons that automatically open the
double doors in the halls are cool, too. [We got
to push these on our tour!]
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Nurse's area.
Never far away! |
Go to Operating Room
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