When children visit hospitals, their biggest fear is of the unknown. Separated from the things and people that bring them comfort, such as toys, games, and family, they often feel lonely and scared. They are expected to adjust to new settings in an unfamiliar environment and submit to a bewildering array of questions and treatments on top of dealing with the stress of their illness.
The “White Coat” Syndrome
A 2016 study from the World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics states that up to 20% of United States children experience the “white coat syndrome,” commonly described as stress when visiting a healthcare provider. Due to their limited cognitive development, children use behavior instead of words to communicate their emotions. In states of fear and anxiety, children can demonstrate aggression, withdrawal, lack of cooperation, and regression. Children present psychological and behavioral distress regardless of invasive or painful healthcare incidence. As a result, it impedes both the patient and provider experiences, thus requiring more time in the treatment process.
But what if healthcare providers can make this process easier for children by improving the hospital experience and healing process?
The Fully Loaded Electronics Solutions
Fully Loaded Electronics specializes in turnkey video game consoles, tablets, and virtual reality for pediatric departments. Their video gaming systems help combat loneliness, boredom, and, most importantly, pain for hospitalized children by giving them access to gaming platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. Bringing their motto of “Video Games Made Easy” to life, each Fully Loaded Electronics’ system is loaded with games – no discs or internet required. The security cases, tethers, and free technical support make it easier for hospitals to adopt.
“Hospitals need a way to share one gaming system between multiple children and a lot of hospitals cannot afford to have a gaming system in each patient room,” states Fully Loaded Electronics’ VP of Operation and Sales, Shelly Lee. “A gaming cart allows one console loaded with games to be moved around from room to room, shared and enjoyed by multiple patients.”
Tryten’s Nova Go Vesa telehealth cart (left and below) carries all the Fully Loaded Electronics video gaming systems on a compact, lightweight, safe, and highly maneuverable cart so all children can enjoy some of their favorite games.
How Do Video Gaming Carts Help Children and Child Life Specialists in Hospitals?
Shelly believes Fully Loaded Electronics’ video gaming carts provide entertainment and distraction for hospitalized children when they need it most. In addition to providing normalcy for children and helping staff build rapport with their patients, there are other ways video gaming carts help children and healthcare providers:
Entertainment
Video games allow players to take on the role of someone new in worlds they have never explored and in situations beyond what the mind could fathom. During long hours of treatment, children usually get bored and frustrated. Competing with superheroes, mystical creatures, or aliens provides an escape from the hospital by transporting kids to new realities and combating their boredom.
Less Perception of Pain
While discussing the therapeutic benefits of video gaming, Shelly states that user participation decreases pain perception. When children play video games, they don’t notice their aches and pains as much. Boredom amplifies negative feelings in a hospital setting; playing video games not only helps patients with pain management but also makes difficult procedures easier for hospital staff.
Connectivity
Many parents worry that video games might have a negative effect on their children, but studies have proven that video games and other online spaces are “safe” for children because they allow them to communicate when they want emotional support. For children isolated in their hospital rooms, connecting with other children is essential for developing social skills. A Pew Research Center study reveals that more than half of teens made friends online and a third of them (36%) say they met their new friends while playing video games. (Note: Online connectivity is optional on FLE carts, at the complete discretion of the hospital.)
Ease of Mobility
As it’s not feasible for hospitals to have a gaming system in every patient room, your health system should invest in video gaming cart which can be easily transported across an entire floor. With Tryten’s lightweight and easily positioned cart, Fully Loaded Electronics is able to give the gift of fun to every child in the hospital. Its small footprint and smooth gliding casters also help healthcare providers easily move the cart across carpets or hard surface floors.
Hospitalization is a difficult experience at any age, but it’s especially challenging for children and teenagers. While providing distraction and entertainment to children, gaming systems are essential pieces in a Child Life Specialist’s toolkit for improving patient satisfaction scores and healthcare experiences for children and providers. The video gaming systems deployed seamlessly by Fully Loaded Electronics on a Tryten Nova Pro cart are helping kids to just be kids for a few hours before returning to their regular medical treatments and procedures.
Fully Loaded Electronics – Gift of Gaming
Gift of gaming is a segment of Fully Loaded Electronics that connects generous donors and charities with hospitals needing gaming consoles for children. Fully Loaded Electronics works with hundreds of hospitals in different communities. In a simple act of kindness and charity, you can donate a gaming system cart to a hospital, they can make it happen and coordinate a recipient hospital for you.
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