Sanford Bismarck has a new tool to help kids make it through their most uncomfortable checkups. Three new virtual reality headsets have been added to Sanford’s child life program to help children reduce their anxiety prior to procedures, and take the attention away from pain.
“I get the unique opportunity to work with kids who maybe come to our hematology oncology clinic monthly and have frequent infusions, or where maybe it’s the first IV they’ve ever had or lab draw or something, and honestly, it works amazing,” said Melissa Schmautz, lead child life specialist at Sanford Bismarck in North Dakota.
On this day, 7-year-old Ashton Johnson put on the headset as a demonstration. He’s a veteran of Sanford Children’s, and he explained this new tool in the simplest way possible.
“It helps me to not pay attention to, like, what hurts sometimes,” Ashton said.
Donations make a difference
The headsets, which cost around $3,000 apiece, were purchased following a generous donation to Sanford Children’s through the Sanford Health Foundation by Chad Moldenhauer and his company K&L Homes. Moldenhauer is on the board of directors at Sanford Bismarck, and his company has demonstrated long-standing generosity in support of Sanford Children’s.
This father of three was excited to donate after learning about the headsets and their benefits for patients.
“There’s been a lot of thought and time and development that’s put into them,” Moldenhauer said. “If we’re just having the kids play video games, then to me, that’s not the same as preparing them for that medical procedure that they’re just about to experience. And that hit the nail on the head for me.”
Unlike commercial headsets, these VR sets were designed by health care professionals with children’s patients specifically in mind. There is a meditation mode to try and soothe anxious minds. Kids can also interact with animated animal videos, which can help distract them during blood draws or chemotherapy port access. There’s even an MRI mode, which can help prepare them for upcoming tests.
“The big piece with an MRI is, if you move, it can mess up the images that they’re getting, and they would need to start over,” Schmautz said. “If you move a little bit, it reminds you to hold still. So we can use this as a tool to not only prepare kids for an MRI, but also to figure out if they can do it without having to use sedation. That can be a huge impact for families.”
New tool for patients, parents
Ultimately though, the sets are another tool for Sanford Health in providing the best care possible for childhood patients.
“This just really helps them to know what to expect and then for them to be like, ‘You know what? I can do this. This doesn’t seem that bad,’” said Schmautz.
And that’s something every parent values.
“It’s kind of a helpless feeling at times when you’ve got your child in the hospital,” said Moldenhauer. “When your child is feeling pain or discomfort, you’re feeling that pain and discomfort. So for me, the virtual reality headsets, it’s just a way to take those children away from that medical treatment that they’re seeking here at Sanford, and maybe get their mind off that just for a moment so they can be kids.”
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Posted In Bismarck, Children's, Foundation, Innovations
