Elearning! Magazine: Building Smarter Companies via Learning & Workplace Technologies.
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Elearning! November 2014 39 "Vecta" — a modifed version of this multi- sensory equipment that is wheeled around in a single compact unit. "Children with varying developmental abili- ties and sensory regulation problems, children in pain or who feel anxious, have been calmed and soothed by watching images that can be projected on the wall of their room or by ma- nipulating toys that change color," says Beatrix Musil of Child Life Services, who was instru- mental in establishing the multisensory room at the new hospital. "Te equipment can also provide stimulation and ofer opportunities to explore using diferent senses. Tis multi- sensory exploration can help increase com- munication for children who may not have the means verbally, and it can increase motivation and build developmental skills. "Being able to completely change the am- biance of an entire room with the touch of a button can help children feel empowered and in control, which is ofen lost when they are in the hospital." Te multisensory rooms provides just one example of the six unique areas of Child Life Services that will use the new spaces available to them, allowing them to expand their capacity to aid healing. Another example of the new hospital's keen focus on children is its technologically advanced scan suites. Patients undergoing imaging can be transported to the tranquili- ty of Muir Woods or take in the sights of San Francisco from a cable car or boat, thanks to images projected on the suites' walls and ceiling. Tey can admire lush visuals, such as a sunset over Golden Gate Bridge, and listen to the sounds of nature or soothing music that they select themselves. Younger patients at the new UCSF Be- niof Children's Hospital San Francisco may prefer a more active role. Instead of a stark room with a table and scan- ning equipment, they may opt for the driver's seat of a trolley car, where they can trundle around the city, take in local landmarks, and participate in hands-on activities working with a cast of animated critters. Or perhaps they prefer to captain a boat for a nautical expedition. Making the scan suites child-friendly was the primary focus, says John MacK- enzie, M.D., chief of radiology at UCSF Beniof Children's Hospital San Francisco, who provided a physician's perspective and worked with the team from UCSF and GE Healthcare to develop this new technology. "Most children have never encountered an MRI machine before," notes MacKen- zie. "It's not something they see in a play- ground. Typically. they enter an MRI room and hesitate when they're told to hop on the table. But if instead they're told, 'Let's go take a ride on the boat,' they're more likely to be intrigued than anxious." During Dreamforce 2014, attendees will have the opportunity to visit the site of the future UCSF Beniof Children's Hospital San Francisco. Te new hospital will provide new hope, new opportunity, and a better experience for patients and families.