Purposeful use of distraction techniques can be of benefit in helping people cope with emotions that are strong and uncomfortable; like being in, or seeing a loved one, in the hospital. Using distraction to shift a patient or family member’s mind from the strong emotion can give the emotion time to decrease in intensity which makes it easier to manage.
In a hospital situation, where emotions are already running high, having a myriad of go-to distraction tools can help patients regulate emotions with anxiety-related disorders, depression and even acute and chronic pain. Here are our top 5 favorite distraction techniques for hospitals:
- Deep breathing – taking a deep breath is sage advice to calm the mind and body. Counting to 4 on the way in, holding for 4 and then releasing to the count of 4 will help the mind focus on the breath and counting and distract it from the pain or fear emotion.
- Listen to music or audio books – let the music or story do the work of distraction for you here.
- Visualization – ask patients to transport themselves back to a time where they felt total ease. Using all their senses, describe what they felt, saw, tasted, etc.
- Stress balls and fidget tools - Fidget toys have exploded in popularity in recent years as a way to increase focus, reduce restlessness, and manage anxiety. These portable options are an easy giveaway to an anxious patient.
- TV/Movies/Gaming – Potentially the easiest form of distraction for a hospital is to offer a way for patients to play approved video games and/or watch TV or stream movies on a connected and protected iPad. This is an all-ages and ability way to distract the patient and/or family from whatever stressful emotion they may be feeling.
While we would love to see your hospital staff leading patients on a deep breathing journey back to their favorite childhood memory, there usually isn’t the time or emotional space to teach these techniques properly. The most expedient path to purposeful distraction is with a tablet from Fully Loaded Electronics.
Helping normalize the hospital environment.
We think Diane from UC David Children’s Hospital provides the most succinct benefit to using a device in a hospital environment.
The fully loaded iPads are incredibly helpful in Children’s Surgery Center for procedure support, to help normalize the hospital environment and use as a transitional item as the child moves from the waiting room to the OR. We are setting up four more for our pediatric emergency department to be used in the same way. They certainly help pass the time and allow the child to focus their attention on something positive rather than their worries.
Our solutions are comprehensive. From the pre-loaded device, to cases and tethers to exceptional support, our device solutions will work seamlessly in your hospital.
I am happy to work with you to determine the best tablet or gaming system to provide the much needed distraction anxious patients need. Call or email today:
Rachelle “Shelly” Lee
(425) 582-3173
shelly@fullyloadedelectronics.com
