Fun and Games

MJB2010 · Jun 1, 2012

We played regular bingo and the patients REALLY got into it. Bought a bingo game with cards and the little rolly ball machine and the winner got prizes. The prizes were usually things from the dollar store, like a big floppy hat, a beachball, and a beach towel but people went nuts over them.

Joni's Mom · Jun 1, 2012

Thanks for replying,

I would like the games to go with labs such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, fluid restrictions and other dialysis related issues. I too would like to give out little prizes, or even a large bowl of candy (not chocolate related) that pt's can choose from.

I want to get my patient's excited about learning and keeping down their phosphorus levels. I don't want to continually nag them "Did you take your binders? Are you taking your binders? When do you take your binders? ON and ON and ON.

I would like to do bingo and other games, but how would I incorporate this into labs?

MJB2010 · Jun 1, 2012

We did some of those games, too, but the patients didn't like any of them or try at all. It was just the staff doing all the work adn the patients not participating.

Joni's Mom · Jun 1, 2012

Its just that we are on the "shoot list" because our labs are bad, so I thought maybe try something new. Nothing so far has brought the labs down, or WNL, short of home feeding these patient's, we're at our wits end. We tried sending home weekly recipes from the company website, shopping lists, handouts, question-naire, and many many many other things to no avail. Now we have to do, almost every other day, conference calls to find out why our labs are in the toilet, what we are doing about it, what is our game plan to bring these labs within limits.

anurseadvocate · Jun 3, 2012

Joni, kudos to you for wanting to do this and doing it..:)

just keep swimming · Jun 5, 2012

Joni, I have some ideas for you but haven't had time to write them out. Keep checking. I will hopefully get to it soon!

Joni's Mom · Jun 5, 2012

Thanks Nurse Nessa,

We can always count on you. I will continue to check back.

Thanks to all for responding

just keep swimming · Jun 6, 2012

Disclaimer....I can never get this stupid spell check to work and I am exhausted so please excuse all errors.

Okay, here goes:

For bingo, we made our own cards. We came up with high, mid, and low phosphorus foods and found pictures on the internet. We then created 10 different cards with the pictures in different places. Across the top, instead of bingo, we wrote BONES. We then wrote up different questions. For example, under B we mixed in dark sodas, chocolate, beans, etc. We then would call out "Under B...beans, beans are high in phosphorus. What is a good alternative to beans?" By doing this, we involved the patients in answering questions about each food. We did another set for potassium. We also included non food items like staying your full run and taking you binders. For prizes, we went to the dollar store and got low phosporus treats, trinkets like ear buds, pens, lotions, etc.

We also did phosphorus football. We divided the patients into two teams...MWF vs TTS. One team was the PhosLo falcons, the other was the Renvela Raiders. We used monthly lab results to determine scores. If a certain percentage of the team was within range, they got a touch down, a lower percentage got a field goal. If too many were out of range, they didn't score at all. We decorated one wall with a giant felt board that looked like a football field and moved the teams toward their goal with each score. This competition went on for months and we started to hear patients asking other patients if they were taking their binders and nagging each other if they saw someone eating high phosphorus foods. At the end of the competition, the MN Vikings cheerleaders made an appearance on the winning teams day and took pictures with any patient who wanted to.

Another thing we do is attendance and outcome awards. Each month, those who have perfect attendance get a certificate and small prize and those who have exceptional outcomes get one as well. It's amazing what a sucker or other candy can do!

We also have phosphorus buddies. The PCTs are all assigned different patients and are responsible for being aware of their labs and encouraging those patinets at every treatment.

We try to do a lot of positive reinforcement instead of nagging. Yes, we have some patinets who refuse to participate because they think it is childish, but for the most part, they really get into it.

I hope this helps! Good luck and let me know if I can help with anything else!

dialysisnurseLC · Jun 7, 2012

Wow that is really cool! At my unit we don't do the football team. Ur the patients have stars and there stars can move up to green red or yellow depending on there labs.

Rayden · Jun 11, 2012

We also do a friday and saturday bingo bonanza in our unit.And they really go nuts over the prizes no matter what it is.

When I was working in the Philippines, we also adapted a game based on a noontime television show called "Pinoy Henyo," (Philippine Genius) where one will guess a word placed on his forehead, but only basing on clues that he himself would think of. Everyone always had good laugh.

There was also one patient who would bring his own Magic Sing (portable karaoke unit) and plugs it on the central television. Then after that, it's free for all! Everyone and anyone can choose a song and sing it.

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2012

Disclaimer....I can never get this stupid spell check to work and I am exhausted so please excuse all errors.
Okay, here goes:
For bingo, we made our own cards. We came up with high, mid, and low phosphorus foods and found pictures on the internet. We then created 10 different cards with the pictures in different places. Across the top, instead of bingo, we wrote BONES. We then wrote up different questions. For example, under B we mixed in dark sodas, chocolate, beans, etc. We then would call out "Under B...beans, beans are high in phosphorus. What is a good alternative to beans?" By doing this, we involved the patients in answering questions about each food. We did another set for potassium. We also included non food items like staying your full run and taking you binders. For prizes, we went to the dollar store and got low phosporus treats, trinkets like ear buds, pens, lotions, etc.
We also did phosphorus football. We divided the patients into two teams...MWF vs TTS. One team was the PhosLo falcons, the other was the Renvela Raiders. We used monthly lab results to determine scores. If a certain percentage of the team was within range, they got a touch down, a lower percentage got a field goal. If too many were out of range, they didn't score at all. We decorated one wall with a giant felt board that looked like a football field and moved the teams toward their goal with each score. This competition went on for months and we started to hear patients asking other patients if they were taking their binders and nagging each other if they saw someone eating high phosphorus foods. At the end of the competition, the MN Vikings cheerleaders made an appearance on the winning teams day and took pictures with any patient who wanted to.
Another thing we do is attendance and outcome awards. Each month, those who have perfect attendance get a certificate and small prize and those who have exceptional outcomes get one as well. It's amazing what a sucker or other candy can do!
We also have phosphorus buddies. The PCTs are all assigned different patients and are responsible for being aware of their labs and encouraging those patinets at every treatment.
We try to do a lot of positive reinforcement instead of nagging. Yes, we have some patinets who refuse to participate because they think it is childish, but for the most part, they really get into it.
I hope this helps! Good luck and let me know if I can help with anything else!

This is really helpful thank you