A HOSPITAL in Bilbao has children 'drive' themselves to operating theatres in toy elecric cars so their ordeal becomes a fun adventure.
The IMQ Zorrotzaurre has bought a job-lot of baby-cars, which porters operate by remote control, and children with their gowns and gauze caps on get in and steer – at least, they think they are steering.
Staff say the journey from wards or A&E to the theatre block had always been punctuated by crying, sobbing, and calls for mummy or daddy, among other displays of nerves, stress and anguish, which was extremely distressing for employees as well as the children themselves.
But now, 98% of kids aged two to six are excited about getting in the car and driving to the operating theatre, and 100% of those who use it are calm and contented, with none of them crying.
“It's a simple idea, but it's proven to be of great value in terms of humanising paediatric surgery at our clinic,” said Dr Nicolás Guerra, director-general of the IMQ Clinics chain.
In light of its success, the toy car idea has now started up in some State hospitals, including the children's wing of Murcia's Virgen de la Arrixaca, Córdoba's Reina Sofía and Huelva's Juan Ramón Jiménez.
Hospitals in the UK, France and USA have also started buying in toy cars for trips to theatre.
Photograph by IMQ Clinic Zorrotzaurre, Bilbao on YouTube
