Guidelines for planning activities and interacting with patients

Please remember that our patients are very sick and may not want to meet or entertain strangers. Your group should plan an activity which will entice the patients into inviting you into their room.

Visits are scheduled in the afternoon or evening of most days. However, we must consider the rest, meal, and treatment times for our patients. We cannot guarantee the availability of the dates you request.

Activities and performances must be approved by Child Life staff. Kentucky Children's Hospital patients seem to enjoy making things, activities which involve winning prizes, receiving gifts, or being entertained. Remember that anything you plan must be possible to accomplish in patient rooms. Our facility does have a playroom; however few of our patients are able to gather for group activities.

Suggested activities

• Crafts
• Paper and pencil contests such as hospital bingo, safaris, word games
• Tossing games
• Music
• Magic Tricks

If prizes are given, everyone should win a prize.

Gifts

If you plan to give gifts, you must provide gifts for all the patients and any siblings who are in the hospital at the time. Gifts should be unwrapped or easily identified so that you know what you are giving a patient. If you have collected gifts but do not have enough to distribute to every patient, they may be added to our gift bank. The gift bank provides gifts to the hospitalized children for holidays, birthday and special occasions throughout the year.

Age break-down for gifts*: 

• 25 children under the age of 2  
• 10 children between the ages of 3 and 5  
• 15 children between the ages of 6 and 12
• 15 teens age 13 and older

All gifts must be new due to infection control protocols. 

All gifts should be of equal value. 

*The age break-downs are only estimates, as our census changes hourly.

Additional guidelines

• Latex balloons are not allowed in Kentucky Children's Hospital.
• Edible treats should be store bought and pre-packaged in individual servings.
• Performances should be of interest to a wide range of ages. If costumes are worn, remember that some children are frightened by large characters, masks and clowns. Costumed characters should follow the guidance of the hospital staff member escorting them and approach children slowly.
• Religious activities will be referred to the Hospital Chaplaincy Program. The hospital chaplain may consult with the Child Life Staff as needed. All patients are to be informed of the religious nature of the event, and allowed to decline an invitation to participate.
• Media, TV or newspaper, coverage of events is discouraged. If media coverage is requested, please explain why.  UK Public Relations must be contacted before any media is involved.
• Photographs and videos of patients cannot be taken in order to protect patient confidentiality. Instant developing pictures may be taken only if the photo is given to the child or family. You may take a photo of your group at the Kentucky Children's Hospital under the supervision of a child life specialist to ensure no patient information is captured in the photograph.

Before you arrive

Your group may want to role play interactions with patients and discuss possible scenarios, so that individuals are comfortable coming into the hospital setting.  

Possible scenarios:

• You met a child with no hair and dressed in blue hospital pajamas.  Do not assume this child is a boy. Hospital pajamas come in green, yellow, and blue only.
• A child has a disability which severely limits his or her mobility, but has normal intelligence and interests for his age. Communication may be difficult, although not impossible. Direct conversation to the child, even though the parents, may be needed to help with the communication.
• A teen is extremely small for her age. Treat her as you would anyone of her age.

During your visit

Interacting with patients:  

• Respect the patient's right to privacy and confidentiality. Please do not ask a patient or family the reason for the child's admission to the hospital. Hospital staff cannot give detailed information about individual children, but would be happy to provide general information about the type of illness and injuries which bring children to Kentucky Children's Hospital. Group members are encouraged to ask general questions about the patients and services provided at the hospital.
• Do not share any information about the patient and family with anyone outside the hospital.
• Be empathetic, but do not display pity toward the children.
• Each group member should give his or her attention to the patients, not to other members of the group, the television, or other distractions found in the hospital.
• It's important to follow the instructions of the hospital staff person who is escorting the group and to stay with the group leader at all times.
• Be enthusiastic and positive about your interactions. Enjoy your interactions, but follow the patient's lead. If he or she is tired, close the interaction.
• Respect the diversity of cultures and values of the families.