Schneider Innovation: Pre-Surgical Tours

Pre-Surgical Tours for children prior to undergoing surgery have been introduced as part of preparatory activities by the Surgical Suite at the initiative of its director, Dr. Yaacov Katz, head nurse, Orly Refael, and operations nurse, Or Fuchs.

The Surgical Suite operates the preparatory tours a number of times every month for children. Accompanied by an anesthetist and nurse, the children begin the tour in the reception area where explanations are given on the day of the operation. Afterwards, the child and his parents don surgical scrubs and visit the operating rooms, where they hear about the equipment such as the bed, monitor, overhead lights and so on. The child puts on an oxygen mask to familiarize himself with the feeling and smell. Further explanations are given about the sedation and awakening process, his parents’ presence in the operating room until he falls asleep and when he awakens, waiting for the operation and family involvement. The tour ends with a visit to the recovery room.

Dr. Yaacov Katz stated that “an operation can cause anxiety and a feeling of helplessness, threat and loss of control, with total dependency on strangers that can affect the physical and emotional state. Based on many research studies regarding the reduction of anxiety, it appears that knowledge, understanding and a preliminary visit to the OR significantly reduce the level of anxiety on the day of the operation, promote confidence and influence the reaction to anesthesia and the awakening process.”