Kids Pedal Past Surgery Jitters
Four-year-old Senika discovered her love for tricycles at one of the most unexpected places – Bayhealth’s Surgery Center. Facing surgery can give anyone the jitters, but Senika cruised through the day and so are other patients her age.
“Studies have shown that when children ride trikes back to a pre-operative area from the waiting room it reduces their anxiety and stress,” explained Bayhealth Surgery Center Nurse Manager Carol Leon who is always exploring ways to bring more comfort to patients. “So we purchased some trikes for our pediatric patients to use before surgery.”
Senika, who celebrated her fifth birthday not long after her surgery, was one of the first patients to use and benefit from the trikes when she had her tonsils removed and underwent some other ENT procedures at Bayhealth Surgery Center, Kent Campus.
“Senika had four major procedures done that day but what she remembers is the trike,” explained her mother Tiffany Wilkerson. “She thought it was a prize for going through the surgery, and riding it really helped her focus on something other than her fear and, after surgery, her pain. Because of the trike, the pain and everything else went away momentarily.”
Along with these positive effects of the trike, Wilkerson said she was also grateful for the Surgery Center staff’s empathy and compassion and the comfort they provided to her and her young daughter.
“While they explained everything I needed to know about Senika’s care and procedures in detail, I also felt their empathy and compassion. They made my four-year-old feel super comfortable, and I had an undeniable sense of comfort, too. When a medical facility, staff, and/or doctor can provide you with that feeling it’s amazing,” she said. “Nurse Krista also gave Senika a homemade card that said feel better with purple and blue hearts. It’s on the fridge, and she likes to look at it often.”
Having the trikes at the Surgery Center has made it easier not only for these young patients and their families but for the nursing staff as well.
“From day one, the trikes have been bringing smiles to the children’s faces and those of everyone else who have seen them in action,” said Leon. “To say they have been a success would be an understatement.”
Visit Bayhealth.org/Surgery-Center-Kent to learn more about the benefits and types of outpatient surgeries offered at Bayhealth Surgery Center, Kent Campus.
“Studies have shown that when children ride trikes back to a pre-operative area from the waiting room it reduces their anxiety and stress,” explained Bayhealth Surgery Center Nurse Manager Carol Leon who is always exploring ways to bring more comfort to patients. “So we purchased some trikes for our pediatric patients to use before surgery.”
Senika, who celebrated her fifth birthday not long after her surgery, was one of the first patients to use and benefit from the trikes when she had her tonsils removed and underwent some other ENT procedures at Bayhealth Surgery Center, Kent Campus.
“Senika had four major procedures done that day but what she remembers is the trike,” explained her mother Tiffany Wilkerson. “She thought it was a prize for going through the surgery, and riding it really helped her focus on something other than her fear and, after surgery, her pain. Because of the trike, the pain and everything else went away momentarily.”
Along with these positive effects of the trike, Wilkerson said she was also grateful for the Surgery Center staff’s empathy and compassion and the comfort they provided to her and her young daughter.
“While they explained everything I needed to know about Senika’s care and procedures in detail, I also felt their empathy and compassion. They made my four-year-old feel super comfortable, and I had an undeniable sense of comfort, too. When a medical facility, staff, and/or doctor can provide you with that feeling it’s amazing,” she said. “Nurse Krista also gave Senika a homemade card that said feel better with purple and blue hearts. It’s on the fridge, and she likes to look at it often.”
Having the trikes at the Surgery Center has made it easier not only for these young patients and their families but for the nursing staff as well.
“From day one, the trikes have been bringing smiles to the children’s faces and those of everyone else who have seen them in action,” said Leon. “To say they have been a success would be an understatement.”
Visit Bayhealth.org/Surgery-Center-Kent to learn more about the benefits and types of outpatient surgeries offered at Bayhealth Surgery Center, Kent Campus.