Thoughts about childcare during procedures

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been thinking of this for a long time now. Some of you may actually have some sort of system set up in your hospitals since you are in bigger cities, etc. What would you think of this idea or does your hosptial already have something similar?

When going for a procedure (ex. my u/s with my third child) I sometimes have to drag the other two kiddos with me. This can become very inconvenient for everyone involved, including whoever is actually doing the test or procedure. I think that volunteers could be utilized in this instance and they could set up a playroom of sorts for children to go to for the duration of whatever I am having done, whether is be a blood draw or an x-ray or an MRI. What do you think?

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
And another question....just what would you suggest I do in my situation (or someone like me) that knows no one and has no backup family? At a moment's notice, what would I do? Right now, we are at the point that dh is trying to move his schedule around constantly so that we can take kids to appointments and we can get to ours. It will be a different story in the fall when the kids are in campus childcare but I still am unable to leave them there longer than a half hour before or after my first and last classes, so I will have to then skip class to go to an appointment if I don't want to take them with me.

And I answered it with several solutions.

- Put an ad in the paper seeking someone to do just that.

- Start an agency of your own to serve this very important need.

- Introduce yourself to your classmates, socialize with them and see if you can swap off with them regarding childcare.

- Introduce yourself and your need to the "bored elderly thumb twiddling women" as you quaintly noted and see if they can sit for you.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE IDEAS!!!!

Well, they require effort, reciprocation and work on your part. And the convenience is not handed to you.

I regret that you are not happy with the answers that you have received, but they are quite sensible. Just like taking care of your kids. And if they are so important, you will find a way. As I raised a child, that I did not give birth to, I found a way. And mine had to sit quietly through hours of chemo.

If you do not know anyone, there is a reason. And you need to fix it. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Talk to and eat with your coworkers. Bring a snack for your classmates. Thank those bored volunteers for the great free labor that they provide and ask about that cute pin that they are wearing. Ask child care advice of them.

And there will be people there that help you in a crisis.

And don't say that you don't have time. MAKE THE TIME!!!! Because when the chips are down, you will need these people. Karma returns. And there is no excuse for not knowing a certain amount about community. I get a new one every three monthes and still know most of coworkers, and neighbors within a few weeks. It is also important for community safety.

And you have a dh - yes, his job is important, but so are the kids and your health. If he chose to have kids, he should expect to rearrange his schedule to accomodate them. It is more his responsibility than the hospital or a volunteer's, or a nurse's.

And no, this is not about "helping the nurse out" that does the procedure or making it "easier for them". DO NOT EVEN GO THERE....... IT IS YOUR JOB TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE, NOT THEIRS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And until the day, insurance pays for childcare during procedures, you have no right to let your kids interfere with the normal flow of care or expect the nurse to have to work around them

Don't see it happening - Risk Management nightmare ! ! ! !

Personally, with all the antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria in hospitals today, I feel that additional children (kids not ill) should not be brought to the hospital or docs offices for their own safety. I work in the ER and in a true life or death emergency sometimes other children must accompany the patient, but usually its possible to have another adult watch the kids. Using volunteers for free daycare doesn't seem too safe either. And...of course there is the hospital's liability if one of these kids gets hurt. Just my opinion of course.

bingo...

The parent w/ foot pain for 2 months brings her 5 kids in at 2200...you know the rest...

There are no trolls in this thread...just candid answers...

I have 2 boys under 3...Change work schedules to accomodate the children...Health issues ALWAYS come before work...One spouse goes to his/her appointment...The other stays home w/ the kids. Work schedule be damned... Our parents managed, why can't we?

Little kiddos don't belong in doctor's offices, ERs, hospitals, etc. UNLESS they are sick (why bring a 6 month old to visit stable grandma w/ pneumonia, on a med/surg floor - LEAVE THE BABY HOME)

sean

And you have a dh - yes, his job is important, but so are the kids and your health. If he chose to have kids, he should expect to rearrange his schedule to accomodate them. It is more his responsibility than the hospital or a volunteer's, or a nurse's.

This was my first thought when I read your initial post...Where is her husband? Then I thought you may be a single mom, but you have since posted about your dh. I am in total agreement w/coralladybelle in this observation.

OTOH, it would be nice if hospitals provided this service; although I clearly see all the flaws in logistics. Your best bet is to get proactive about this and/or find a mother's day program that serves your community and schedule any/all appointments on the days they have services. I have great in-laws in town (and *many* friends and neighbors, but I don't don't feel comfortable asking then to keep my kiddos because, honestly, I could not reciprocrate) to keep the children when appointments/emergencies arise, but when they are not available (they RV for long periods of time) I trust a mother's day out program from my church.

I have 2 boys under 3...Change work schedules to accomodate the children...Health issues ALWAYS come before work...One spouse goes to his/her appointment...The other stays home w/ the kids. Work schedule be damned... Our parents managed, why can't we?

sean

My thoughts exactly. I am also too "paranoid" a momma to drop my kids off with someone I've never met.........I don't care where they work or how good their background check was.

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
I still don't understand why people seem to be getting nasty about this issue. All I am doing is asking simple, innocent questions. If you don't have children, firstly, it is hard to understand. Secondly, I have stated that I have tried to find childcare and that most of my reasoning is to make things easier on staff at the hospital. I am not saying that I am taking the kids there to play while I visit friends or while I myself am in the hospital. I asked an innocent question and if I misperceived the sarcasm, I am sorry, but why not try to have a little compassion for those of us trying to make things easier on YOU!!!

Deb...no, no hard feelings of course.

I really don't see any nasty replies-just opinions that differ from yours and you did requast feedback.Parents have to make sacrifices-not the rest of society....You and your husband take turns taking time off or re-arranging your schedules.You work a different shift then he does so someone is always available for the kids.You save your earned vavcation time to dole out through the year to cover your childcare schedule....You join the "y" and take advantage of their programs....There isalways a solution-it just may not be very convenient for you at the time....I don't agree with your "trying to make things easier on the hospital staff"...If the tech or nurse has to stick you multiple times because they are distracted by your kids you suffer....and if you can't buckle one or 2 in a stroller and make the other sit still for 5 mins you have a bigger problem then just finding convenient childcare."Compassion" does not enter into it-if you can not provide the care children need then don't have a bunch........ Like I said-other people's children are a bit like second hand smoke.....

How many children people have is certainly no one else's decision. That being said...

I have seen institutional childcare provided in the following places:

Grocery Store

Plasma Center

Church

Health Club

YMCA

Company Christmas Parties

to name just a few. So to say that it can't be done, well there is the non-comprehensive example list of 'can be dones'. To deny the problem is not going to make it go away. It's too bad people can't actually pull together and advocate for something worthwhile instead of constantly splitting hairs.

some very good examples! and just because the op has a dh doesn't mean all mothers do. and for the ones that said to not go to work that is easy to say if not in fear of losing your job due to call outs or losing the pay for that day. and as for the last of my .02 cents everyone kept saying there was no sarcasm but please read the post about comparing children to second handed smoke. i found that very offensive as a mother. you too were a child once. the mother's day out program was good advice as well. around here the churches alternate them so like on tuesday and thursdays from 9-2 you can leave your kids to go do errands..etc a novel idea!

Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.
if you can not provide the care children need then don't have a bunch........

Now, THAT statement is rude and somewhat hostile statement. Just because she is unable to find someone to care for her children when she has a blood test, that means she should not have had them? So you are saying people are supposed to consider whether they have someone to watch a child while they have a Dr. appt before they choose to even have children?

We are not talking about a woman having child after child while milking the welfare system for support for them.

Now, THAT statement is rude and somewhat hostile statement.

About the "2nd hand smoke" statement...that is hitting below the belt a bit, I suppose. But as I said before, I could not reciprocrate childcare w/another mom because I don't feel like dealing w/other's peoples children. I love children, I just know my limitations....soooo, I understand the general meaning of that comment.

We are not talking about a woman having child after child while milking the welfare system for support for them.

OK...let's explore that thought. Where would the money for a childcare facility come from? The hospital's funding=patient's pocket. Donations would be another option, but somehow I find those donations better spent for medical care of the needy????

OK...let's explore that thought. Where would the money for a childcare facility come from?
How about grants? Heaven knows there is a ton of government grant money for childcare just waiting to be used for capital projects such as this. And what exactly would be wrong with soliciting donations for a room/program within an institution? Name the center after the donor or put a plaque above the door with their name, who cares?

Nursing isn't about *just* healing the wounds, it's just as much family care. I am open to hearing about how caring for a child/children for a few minutes during an appointment or procedure does not promote a positive family outcome?

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Now, THAT statement is rude and somewhat hostile statement. Just because she is unable to find someone to care for her children when she has a blood test, that means she should not have had them? So you are saying people are supposed to consider whether they have someone to watch a child while they have a Dr. appt before they choose to even have children?

We are not talking about a woman having child after child while milking the welfare system for support for them.

That is exactly what I said-we are not stray dogs or cats doomed to have litter after litter.We have a choice-are you saying that we should NOT consider the amount of family support available to us before we decide to start a family? Should we NOT consider our lifestyle? If your husband is constantly transferred maybe it might be a good idea to adjust your family plan-wait a few yrs before starting a family,limiting the number of children you have or looking for another job...I also stand by my comment comparing other people's kids to second hand smoke-that is the attitude of a large segment of our society.There are places that young children do not belong yet some parents insist on thinking of only themselves and taking their kids into those situations....I am not being "rude" or making "below the belt" comments-I am voicing my opinions as I have a right to....And I have been there myself-we waited until we were ready to start our family-due to situations beyond our control we had to post-pone adding to it and now it's too late for us.But we made the decisions that were right for our family at the time.I felt that it would have been irresponsible to just blithly pop out babies with no thought to what was going on within my extended family at the time-thankfully that is a woman's right....and a thinking human being's responsibility
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