| Nobody likes to go to the emergency room, | | | | it becomes somewhat routine. But to a child who |
| because it usually means that either you or a | | | | has never been there before, an emergency |
| loved one is hurt or sick badly enough to be | | | | room can be new and scary. First of all, there are |
| considered serious. Many times things work out | | | | lots of people who are in pain, and may have |
| just fine. Maybe an allergic reaction needed a | | | | nasty injuries. There may be people rolling around |
| special medicine, a broken bone needed to be set, | | | | in wheelchairs or stretchers, which may be |
| or a wound needed to be stitched up. Injuries that | | | | another new thing for a child. And even though |
| can seem big to us are commonplace in an | | | | modern emergency rooms try to employ bright |
| emergency room. An adult understands what an | | | | colors and inviting designs, the whole place may |
| emergency room is for and knows what to | | | | have a cold, antiseptic feel to it. It's no wonder a |
| expect when you get there. But what about a | | | | child may feel scared or uneasy in this type of |
| child? Sure, their fears might be calmed by a | | | | environment. |
| nurse with animal print scrubs, but do they | | | | Those fears are compounded if it is the child who |
| understand the significance of why they are | | | | is sick or hurt. Sometimes a child will need to get |
| there? Even if they aren't the one who is hurt or | | | | blood drawn or an x-ray taken. They don't |
| sick, all of the machines can be scary, as well as | | | | understand why someone with a large needle is |
| all the doctors coming in to run tests on mom or | | | | going to stick it in their arm-and why mom and |
| dad. All in all, the emergency room can be a very | | | | dad are going to let them! And they don't get |
| scary place for a child. | | | | why they need to stay still while a large machine |
| For a nurse or doctor, the emergency room may | | | | hums and rotates around them. All they know is |
| just be the office to them. They slip on their | | | | the lady in the cheap nursing scrubs is causing it |
| Barco scrubs, punch the clock, and put in their | | | | all, and they probably just want to go away and |
| time. Sure, their work might be a little more | | | | get home. Mom and dad can explain as best they |
| high-stress than designing a website or working on | | | | can, comfort as best they can, and start their |
| a factory line, but if you do it day-in and day-out | | | | child on the road to recovery. |