1. Assistance from the Child Life Specialist
On the occasion of your first volunteer shift, the Child Life Specialist will gladly walk you through this rooming procedure. Please ask for assistance.
If the Child Life Specialist is not available, please ask one of the Patient Care Assistants (PCA) to model the process with the first patient.

2. Rounding in the EC Waiting area during evening hours
Rounding in the waiting area only occurs during the evening hours when wait times for patients may be longer. Rounding in the waiting area should occur only after the volunteer has cleaned toys to make them available for patient use and visited all exam rooms with patients to address their needs for normalizing activities.

3. Rounding in the waiting area checklist

4. Rounding in the EC Waiting area consists of the following activities:
Retrieve the clipboard with the “Rounding in the Waiting Area Checklist” from its assigned location in order to record the rounding encounters.
Begin by acknowledging the family’s presence and introducing yourself:
“Hello, my name is ____ and I am a Child Life Volunteer here at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.”
Ask open-ended questions: “Is there anything I can do for you right now to make you more comfortable?”
Hand out information about amenities available or just verbally mention where the bathrooms are located, where vending machines are located, etc.

5. Rounding Activities cont.
Close the encounter by thanking the person for their time and patience and outlining what you intend to do with the information:
“Thank you for your understanding and patience. I will follow-up with ____ to check on your ____.
“I will be sure to get you a ____.”
Act on the information provided by the family.
Ex: follow-up with the nurse, provide any specific amenities asked for, etc.”

6. Follow-up Encounters in the Waiting area
Always follow-up when you say you will.
It is not necessary to re-introduce yourself;
“I just wanted to check to see if you are still doing OK.”
Follow-up from the previous conversation: “Were you able to locate the ____?”
Monitor body language in the waiting room to determine who may need additional updates versus who may not.
Be empathetic at all times; apologize when necessary.

7. Emergency Center Down Time
Organize Child Life Supply Room in EC. Restock toy shelf in the Great Hope/Texans area.
Check batteries of toys, replace when necessary.
Discard any old, worn/broken games or toys.
Re-label toys with TCH WC EC so that they are less likely to “walk”. Use a Sharpie pen.
If you have done everything and have time on your hands, check with the Charge Nurse for suggestions as to how you can help.

8. Ending Your EC Session
Clean up area and return all craft items and supplies back to appropriate area.
Clean all dirty toys and return clean toys to supply room shelf. Be sure to allow time at the end of your shift for this.
Leave your Patient List in the Volunteer Binder in the supply area.

9. Please jot down a brief answer to each of the following questions and be prepared to discuss them at your Child Life Volunteer Training. 1. How can I help to ensure that germs and infection are not transmitted to patients in their rooms or the playroom? 2. What is the process for admitting siblings of patients to the playroom? 3. How can I help to normalize the environment of patients who are on isolation? 4. Where will I find toys, games, etc. to offer patients in the EC? 5. What is the process for cleaning toys? 6. If I am unable to be at TCH for my volunteer shift, what should I do? 7. What do I do if a patient requests food or beverage in the EC? 8. In case one of the following emergencies occurs, I should: Code Pink Dr. Pyro Patient loses consciousness

10. Child Life Volunteers
Thank you for deciding to become a Child Life Volunteer in either the West Campus Playrooms or the Emergency Center. You are a valuable asset to Texas Children’s Hospital and your presence here will allow us to better serve the patients and families who come for medical treatment.

11. Determining when an exam room is ready for a new patient:
On the Trackboard, the room number highlighted green indicates that a patient is ready for discharge. This is your signal to monitor the status of that room to determine when it is ready for a new patient.
When a patient vacates an exam room, the room number disappears from the Trackboard while the room is in transition for cleaning. The room number does not reappear on the Trackboard until a new patient is in the room.

12. Steps to Follow When Rooming a Patient in the EC
Obtain the patient’s chart from the First Look Nurse stationed at the Reception Desk in the EC waiting area. If there is no First Look Nurse on duty, the Charge Nurse will have the patient’s chart.
In the waiting room, call the name of the patient (usually the first or last name of the patient is sufficient).
Walk the patient and family to the specified exam room, walking alongside and talking to them as you walk.

13. Rooming a patient cont.
Settle the patient and family in the exam room.
Raise the head of the bed to their comfort. Raise both side rails.
Turn on the TV for them. Ask if they prefer to watch TV or a movie directing the TV to their choice with the remote. Show the patient or family member how to use the remote control.
Identify the nurse call light button (red and white button at the top of the remote).
Please tear off one row of the optiolabels (stickers) in the patient’s chart and place under the corner of the communication board in the exam room. If there are old patient labels still on the board, please remove them and dispose of them in the shred bin. Erase any previous patient’s info left on the board.

14. Rooming a patient cont.
Explain to the patient and family what the next step will be. (Ex. “Your nurse will be in shortly, but be sure to press the red button if you need a staff member at any time.”)
After settling the patient and family in the room, place the patient’s chart in the appropriate red file (by exam room #) at the nurses’ station. If there is a previous patient’s chart still in the red file, please remove it and place it in the black basket.

15. Assistance from the Child Life Specialist
On the occasion of your first volunteer shift, the Child Life Specialist will gladly walk you through this rooming procedure. Please ask for assistance.
If the Child Life Specialist is not available, please ask one of the Patient Care Assistants (PCA) to model the process with the first patient.

16. Rounding in the EC Waiting area during evening hours
Rounding in the waiting area only occurs during the evening hours when wait times for patients may be longer. Rounding in the waiting area should occur only after the volunteer has cleaned toys to make them available for patient use and visited all exam rooms with patients to address their needs for normalizing activities.

17. Rounding in the waiting area checklist

18. Rounding in the EC Waiting area consists of the following activities:
Retrieve the clipboard with the “Rounding in the Waiting Area Checklist” from its assigned location in order to record the rounding encounters.
Begin by acknowledging the family’s presence and introducing yourself:
“Hello, my name is ____ and I am a Child Life Volunteer here at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.”
Ask open-ended questions: “Is there anything I can do for you right now to make you more comfortable?”
Hand out information about amenities available or just verbally mention where the bathrooms are located, where vending machines are located, etc.

19. Rounding Activities cont.
Close the encounter by thanking the person for their time and patience and outlining what you intend to do with the information:
“Thank you for your understanding and patience. I will follow-up with ____ to check on your ____.
“I will be sure to get you a ____.”
Act on the information provided by the family.
Ex: follow-up with the nurse, provide any specific amenities asked for, etc.”

20. Follow-up Encounters in the Waiting area
Always follow-up when you say you will.
It is not necessary to re-introduce yourself;
“I just wanted to check to see if you are still doing OK.”
Follow-up from the previous conversation: “Were you able to locate the ____?”
Monitor body language in the waiting room to determine who may need additional updates versus who may not.
Be empathetic at all times; apologize when necessary.

21. Emergency Center Down Time
Organize Child Life Supply Room in EC. Restock toy shelf in the Great Hope/Texans area.
Check batteries of toys, replace when necessary.
Discard any old, worn/broken games or toys.
Re-label toys with TCH WC EC so that they are less likely to “walk”. Use a Sharpie pen.
If you have done everything and have time on your hands, check with the Charge Nurse for suggestions as to how you can help.

22. Ending Your EC Session
Clean up area and return all craft items and supplies back to appropriate area.
Clean all dirty toys and return clean toys to supply room shelf. Be sure to allow time at the end of your shift for this.
Leave your Patient List in the Volunteer Binder in the supply area.

23. Please jot down a brief answer to each of the following questions and be prepared to discuss them at your Child Life Volunteer Training. 1. How can I help to ensure that germs and infection are not transmitted to patients in their rooms or the playroom? 2. What is the process for admitting siblings of patients to the playroom? 3. How can I help to normalize the environment of patients who are on isolation? 4. Where will I find toys, games, etc. to offer patients in the EC? 5. What is the process for cleaning toys? 6. If I am unable to be at TCH for my volunteer shift, what should I do? 7. What do I do if a patient requests food or beverage in the EC? 8. In case one of the following emergencies occurs, I should: Code Pink Dr. Pyro Patient loses consciousness

24. Child Life Volunteers
Thank you for deciding to become a Child Life Volunteer in either the West Campus Playrooms or the Emergency Center. You are a valuable asset to Texas Children’s Hospital and your presence here will allow us to better serve the patients and families who come for medical treatment.