Have you ever had a dolphin ride, in the emergency department?
At Monash Health’s emergency departments, we’re using Smileyscopes – immersive virtual reality headsets that transform medical procedures into engaging, stress-free experiences for our young patients and their families.
Thanks to a very generous donation by Child’s Play, Smileyscopes are available at our Clayton paediatric emergency department and our mixed emergency departments at Casey and Dandenong to help calm anxious patients.
By wearing the virtual headset, patients are transported into magical adventures, turning their focus away from medical procedures like stitches, needles and catheter insertions.
‘In a time of distress, being able to provide distraction is an invaluable tool for our emergency care teams,’ said Dr Adam West, Head of Paediatric Emergency Medicine at Monash Health.
‘We use them every day to transform children’s experiences in the hospital and create a calmer environment.’
This technology has been found to not only help reduce distress and anxiety for the child and their caregiver, but also the pain reported during medically invasive procedures.
Thank you to Child’s Play for your generous donation and for helping our care teams improve patients’ wellbeing through the power of play.