Small treasures

Small Treasures CELIA D'ERRICO, DO OW OFTEN IS IT said that children are not small adults? We hear this, yet we continue to treat them, dose their medications, and act as if they are adults in many scenarios. The focus of this issue is to help practitioners concentrate on the care of children. It is not only directed at helping patients before the OR, but also to help them deal with the issues of pain and nausea after an operation is completed. Something as simple as cherry lip gloss in a mask costs pennies for the lack of tears and can make all the difference to a 7 year old undergoing induction. A story, a well-timed premedication, and a parent in the OR or in the PACU may change a day of horror to a day of relief and survival. Remember, all surgeries, large and small, are stressful for both caregivers and the child. There are so many tricks to help distract pediatric patients; learn them, use them, and have fun with them.

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Celia D "Errico, DO, is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Section of Pediatric Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, C~S. Mott Children's' Hospital, Ann Arbor, ML Address correspondence to Celia D "Errico, DO, Department of Anesthesiology, C~S.Mott Children's' Hospital, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0211. © 2000 by American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. 1089-9472/00/1506-000253.00/0 doi:lO.lO53/jpan.2000.19467

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I would like to digress for a moment to explain how this issue came into being. Loree Collett, who is the head of our perianesthesia nursing staff and a personal friend, and I decided that it was time for more people to read about pediatrics. We wanted to put helpful tricks of the trade out there for everyone to share. The Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing graciously gave us this forum to put together an issue that we hope will be a reference guide for those working with pediatric patients. As a dedication to Denise O'Brien's last issue as interim editor for the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, we have obtained authors for this issue from her home state of Michigan. This issue is directed at the care of children. Although we compiled our authors from Michigan, the information will cross both state and country lines. Whether you are in a pediatric hospital or not, we hope you will find some useful information on pediatric perianesthesia care. After this editorial is a short piece by a freelance writer who tells of her experiences. Of interest, I did this anesthetic. We cared for this child as a team with all of our best tricks. The nursing care she received was superb. Yet I wonder, when caring for children, do we forget to care for those who care the most about them? After reading this I hope that the next time you care for a child, you will give their true caregiver a little extra care. Realize that small gestures are remembered and treasured. I would like to offer special thanks to Loree Collett, BSN, RN, for her help and coediting.

Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, Vol 15, No 6 (December), 2000: p 384