Day 5

Mission was very similar to OSF in size and acuity. They are also both children’s hospitals and work to accommodate not only the needs of the patient, but the needs of the family, as well. This is different from Methodist hospital as they do not have a NICU and a much smaller Peds unit. It was also very interesting to go to Mission Children’s Outpatient Center. They are extremely kid-friendly- trying to make the experience the best they can. They have many ways of handling situations to lesson any potential trauma. What really struck a cord with me is how they handle the child abuse patients. Seeing the wall of the hands of only 1/3 of the patients willing to put their hands on the wall was an experience unlike anything I have ever felt.

            As stated earlier, hospitalization effects both the children and their families. The children are uprooted into a new, strange, and sometimes scary place. Sometimes this happens and the parents are not able to be there all the time with the children. In that case, the staff has to step up at times and be the support for the child. Hospitalization effects every person in the family, even other siblings. Time, energy, and even experiences can be taken away from the siblings to provide for the sick child. Family-centered care is provided by supporting each member of the family during their time of need, whether that is through social services or getting them in touch with community support systems.

            In Asheville, you definitely get a bigger-city feel. Cherokee incorporated their culture and traditions into every aspect of their healthcare model and the architectural design of the facility. It almost does not even feel like you are in a hospital when at Cherokee Hospital. In Asheville, while the Peds unit was designed and decorated to cater to children and their families, the rest of the hospital felt like a hospital. Asheville was also driven by patient satisfaction and numbers. While this is also important to Cherokee, they put their culture and the families first before any number.

            I think the most memorable experience from today was at the Mission Children’s Outpatient Center. I think it definitely helped to have such an awesome, energetic tour guide. You could see the excitement in her when she talked about everything. It was interesting to learn about how much they can do in the office to help prevent sending the children to the hospital. As I talked about previously, the hands of the children in the child abuse unit is something I will never forget.