At Banner Gateway, we understand children – when they’re well and when they’re not. We also understand that treating children is vastly different from treating adults. It requires health care providers to adopt and use different techniques, technologies and therapies.
Knowing that it is never easy to see a child scared and in pain, we strive to ease the fears and anxieties of our pediatric patients and their families. Our friendly, knowledgeable pediatric professionals do their best to keep parents and guardians informed every step of the way.
We understand that visitors play a key role in a child’s recovery. Therefore, parents and family members are encouraged to visit as often as possible.
Additionally, it is a known fact that children can be picky eaters. To lessen the burden of their hospital stay, the culinary services department offers pediatric patients such kid-friendly meal options as pizza, chicken nuggets and grilled-cheese sandwiches.
Patient Rooms
Banner Gateway’s Pediatric unit includes 11 private patient rooms; each customized with a hand-painted mural to add warmth and character.
Each patient room includes a private bathroom, television and a couch that converts to a bed enabling parents to stay with their children while hospitalized.
Treatment Room
Ensuring the patient room remains a “safe” place to the child, Banner Gateway’s Pediatric unit also includes a designated treatment room where all procedures ranging from IV starts to blood draws are performed.
The treatment room is stocked with an array of medical and “distraction” supplies. Here, the child life specialist works with patients to educate them about the procedure using age-appropriate terms, serve as a distraction from the procedure, and use such pain management techniques such as freezy spray, lidocaine-prilocaine cream (EMLA), sucrose and breathing techniques.
As a reward for their bravery during treatments and procedures, pediatric patients are given the opportunity to choose a toy from Jeremiah’s Toy Corral – a toy closet within the unit established in honor of Jeremiah Robinson, an East Valley solider who was killed in Iraq just days before his 21st birthday. Each child will receive one toy during his or her hospital stay.
Playroom
Children thrive on creativity and interaction with others. At Banner Gateway, pediatric patients have access to a special playroom in which they can enjoy time away from their patient rooms, participate in a variety of fun activities, and socialize with other young patients.
From painting and drawing to dolls and various toys, the playroom affords children the opportunity to do what children do best…play!
Adding to the fun, a portable entertainment system is available for use within the unit and televisions are equipped with cable channels for kids, games and pay per view movies.