2024 Funded Micro Grant
Keeping Patients (More) Comfortable in the Pediatric Emergency Center
Danielle Mercurio, Stacy Oberne, Veronica Ekman, Lisa Smotrich, Anna Zieba, Danielle Hirsch, Meghan Martin, Lisa Odendal, Hannah Claire Rutherford, James O’Donnell, Brenna Boucher, Christine Petsalis
Emergency Center at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Many children presenting to the Emergency Center (EC) are simultaneously fearful and in pain. Approaching these young patients forcefully can cause more harm than good. Keeping Patients Comfortable is a multidisciplinary team in the EC that enhances care for patients, focusing on both communication skills and material interventions, including the use of the J-Tip, a device used to place IVs painlessly with subcutaneous lidocaine. However, there is a long way to go to make the EC a less scary place for all children who need it.
Building on their experience with the J-Tip, using IHM funding, the team will introduce a new device called the Buzzy Bee, which uses vibrations and ice to numb the injection area and distract the patient from the sensation of the needle. They also hope to focus on easing the stress on mental health patients who are currently subject to long wait times—sometimes up to 72 hours—by providing them approved personal care and entertainment items. The team hopes that these improvements in patient experience will help families place more trust in the care team and the treatment plan.