Help for When a Child is Hospitalized

A New York hospital is trying to help parents cope when a child is hospitalized by creating an advisory council of staff and the family of patients.

The Family’s Advisory Council of Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian seeks to help families get the information they need when a child is hospitalized. The council members join doctors as they make hospital rounds in order to add their family-centric perspective to patient care.

Council members also advise parents during an hospitalization to:

–Take notes and include names and contact numbers of the child’s medical team. Store nurse’s station phone number in a wallet and call for updates on the child and give the nurses family contact information.

— Ask the medical team about the care plan for the day and write it down. Always repeat information back to the doctor or nurse to confirm your understanding. Write down any questions as you think of them and refer to your notebook when talking with doctors.

— Ask for as many explanations of a diagnosis, labs or test results as needed until you

understand the information. If you note any changes in your child’s appetite, energy level, mood, pain levels, or other areas share this information with the healthcare team.

— If you think you child is in pain, contact the nurse immediately.