<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1119689118113199&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">

Ease the Way Blog

Improve patient comfort and satisfaction with weekly advice
delivered directly to your inbox.

Need Help Navigating Medical Device Approvals - Download Now

Important Risk and Safety Information for Gebauer’s Pain Ease® and Gebauer’s Ethyl Chloride®:

Do not spray in eyes. Over spraying may cause frostbite. Freezing may alter skin pigmentation. Use caution when using product on persons with poor circulation. The thawing process may be painful and freezing may lower resistance to infection and delay healing. If skin irritation develops, discontinue use. CAUTION: Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a licensed healthcare practitioner.

Gebauer’s Pain Ease Only:

Apply only to intact oral mucous membranes. Do not use on genital mucous membranes. Consult your pediatrician when using on children 4 years old and younger.

Gebauer’s Ethyl Chloride Only:

Published clinical trial results support the use in children 3 years of age and older. Ethyl chloride is FLAMMABLE and should never be used in the presence of an open flame or electrical cautery equipment. Use in a well-ventilated area. Intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating or inhaling the contents can be harmful or fatal. Do not spray in eyes. Over application of the product may lead to frostbite and/or altered skin pigmentation. Cutaneous sensitization may occur, but appears to be extremely rare. CAUTION: Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a licensed healthcare practitioner.

Join our social networks

Connect Follow Connect

Keeping Pediatric Visits Fast and Efficient

By: Bethany Nock | On: June 16, 2020
SHARE

When many people think of taking a child to the doctors, even if it is for a routine check-up, the words “fast” and “efficient” are probably not in their top-ten list of adjectives to describe the experience. Although there is an unimaginably long list of  variables to consider when keeping  a pediatric patient (especially younger ones) calm during the visit, there are some fairly manageable techniques and changes you can consider implementing into your routine that may help smooth out the experience.

Patient Management and Flow

Efficiency starts at the door. Since children have a shorter attention span, spending too much time in one area can sometimes cause them to become more agitated, anxious or even upset. Consider the patient flow at your facility. Are there certain times when there are spikes in unscheduled visits? Are there certain days of the week that seem to be flooded with phone calls and emergencies?  Properly utilizing a medical practice management software may be able to help.  TechonologyAdvice.Com does a great job of breaking down many potential bottlenecks and explaining how to gain efficiencies and benefits by using the software.

Utilization of Technology

Technology has evolved heavily and fast in recent history which has uncovered many new solutions for healthcare such as keeping records digitally, upgrading staff with mobile tablets or even digital equipment for vitals and testing. These tools can be helpful in keeping your team working with the latest and greatest in “cutting edge” technology. However, the caveat to technology implementation is ensuring staff is properly trained, experienced and comfortable operating it. These tech tools are only beneficial if staff knows how to use them - if not used properly, these time-saving devices can actually cause speed bumps, double work for already busy staff and can potentially cut down on patient satisfaction if the staff’s focus is the software, not the patient.

Keeping Patients Engaged

Between keeping up with technology changes and the daily tasks that need to be performed, sometimes staff may become preoccupied with the procedures of their job.  Keeping patients involved with processes, such as listening to their heart or looking in their ears, by explaining what will be done using  medical play may help reduce the anxiety surrounding an examination or procedure.

Handling the Scary Stuff – Like Needles

Whether it be trypanophobia, needle phobia or general fear, it is not uncommon for young patients to be anxious when it comes to needle procedures. Although the origins of a patients’ worry may not specifically be known, common reactions seen in those who are needle phobic are: increased heart rate, fainting, panic attacks and physical attempts to avoid the medical professional. When caring for a patient who shows signs of anxiety around needles, it may be wise to utilize tactics to help reduce their fears. Using readily available options such as physical distraction methods, cold sprays to help reduce pain associated with the needle prick or even a combination of  methods may help to change attention from the procedure to something less scary  –making the procedure faster,  and keeping the visit efficient.