Tablet computers help distract during cases
Tablet computers help distract during cases
Whether it's the smartphones, tablet computers, or e-readers, new technology is all the rage these days. At the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Erie, PA, this mobile technology is being used to help patients.
The child life department at Shriners Erie recently received a donation of three tablet computers to be used with patients facing challenging procedures in the facility's Ambulatory Surgery Center and Outpatient Specialty Care Center. As nurses and physicians administer treatments and perform procedures, children can become anxious. With the tablet computers, the child life staff can download applications providing interactive games, puzzles, and cause/effect type programs. Working alongside the nurses and medical staff, child life specialists are present during procedures to help decrease patient anxiety, promote positive coping skills, and support the use of the tablet computer.
Programs are available for all developmental levels from toddlers to teens. These activities provide cognitive distraction from the stress of medical procedures. The tablet itself can be used as a barrier to block the line of sight for procedures and can be placed in a variety of positions depending on the procedure.
"Using the iPad gives patients a specific role during the procedure and helps them focus while distracting them from stress," said Kristin Maguire, child life specialist. "The nurses and physicians can complete procedures efficiently and effectively when patients are calm and relaxed."
Maguire noted that the child life staff also uses the tablets to teach patients about various procedures they might experience. "Providing information in developmentally appropriate language helps the child understand what will take place; what they will see, feel, hear, and smell," she said.
Whether it's the smartphones, tablet computers, or e-readers, new technology is all the rage these days. At the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Erie, PA, this mobile technology is being used to help patients.Subscribe Now for Access
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