Libby, a vivacious 7-year-old, suffered from chronic ear infections.  Libby underwent surgery at the new American Family Children’s Hospital (AFCH) at Watertown to remove her tonsils and adenoids and to place tubes in her ears.

Before surgery, her mother, Jenny, wanted to do everything she could to make the experience a positive one for Libby, and she was delighted to learn that the care providers at the American Family Children’s Hospital felt exactly the same way.

The family centered environment at AFCH delivers a model of care that involves the entire family, not just the patient.  This model of care has helped shape the program, facility design and staff training by recognizing the vital role that family, emotional care and social care play in a healing environment.

Just one example of this new philosophy of care is a tour that is specially-designed to make young patients comfortable. A week before surgery, an AFCH at Watertown nurse met Libby and her mom on a Sunday to gave Libby a complete walk-through of what to expect on the day of surgery. 

Libby was able to put on an Operating Room “bunny suit” for the tour (just like the doctors and nurses wear to surgery), and she got to see and touch the mask that would be placed on her face for anesthesia.

Jenny says the most comforting thing for her daughter was the assurance that “anything that might hurt would happen only after she was asleep.” (Libby didn’t have an IV, for example, until after she woke up from her surgery.)

Libby’s mom hadn’t expected the hospitalization to be such a positive experience. “Having a facility this nice so close to home is just wonderful,” says Jenny.