Pre-Assessment for Children

Going into hospital can potentially be very frightening for children and so a special pre-assessment clinic run by a paediatric nurse practitioner called Sharon and a hospital play specialist called Michele is available to help prepare your child for their operation.

The nurse practitioner will assess your child’s health and take a past medical history to ensure your child is as fit as possible for their surgery and anaesthetic. We can help your child to be prepared in a way they can understand through seeing and playing with hospital equipment, and learning through play.

As a parent you will be able to gather information about your child’s operation so you can discuss and prepare your child at home ready for admission.

Pre-assessment allows your child the opportunity to express feelings, anxieties and fears reducing unhelpful misconceptions about hospitals.  Fear of hospitals and procedures often comes from fear of the unknown so the more information you know the less frightening the experience will be, and therefore less traumatic for your child. 

Visiting the ward before being admitted will help children to return happier and more confident.

Find out more about our pre-assessment clinic for children under "Your Treatment and Medication".