Stories Comfort in Pediatrics
A trip to urgent care or the emergency room can be overwhelming for a child. The environment is unfamiliar, adults around them may be worried, and the wait can feel long. Altrusa is giving children the opportunity to transport themselves from discomfort into brighter worlds, thanks to a new children’s book vending machine at Sanford Health Marshfield Clinic.
Altrusa has long focused on literacy, including supporting and mapping Little Free Libraries around Marshfield. Member Jennifer Lurvey first imagined a small library for pediatric patients. However, the hospital setting presented unique challenges with consideration for infection control. Hospital books can’t be shared or swapped, and they have to stay secure. A book vending machine was a wonderful solution. “It’s enclosed. They get a token. They pick it. They take their book home with them.” Jennifer shared.
Registration staff now hand out tokens to any child 12 and under who comes into urgent care or the emergency room. The child takes the token to the machine and picks out a free book to read while they wait and then take home. As one hospital staff person described, “It is so fun to see their faces brighten up when we give them the token to use in the machine. They are so excited to pick out a book. This has been a hugely positive addition. I only wish we would have had it years ago!”
The machine gives families something to do together in a small, busy waiting area. It also gives staff an easy way to connect with kids. A simple “What book did you pick?” can help build trust before an exam or procedure. Heidi Giese, Child Life and Expressive Therapy Manager shared, “It’s a familiar thing, used in a different way, and that brings some normality to a place that can feel scary.”
In its first week, the machine gave out 55 books. Now 300 to 400 books leave the machine every month; far more than anyone expected. Toddlers, preschoolers, and young school-age children’s books are the most frequently selected. Bilingual books are also available. Altrusa volunteers restock the machine, label books, and track the age level of every book that goes out so they can restock with what kids are choosing. The biggest challenge now? Keeping up with demand.
With support from a Marshfield Area Community Foundation Community Grant, the book vending machine inventory has been further stocked with stories for children visiting the pediatric urgent care and emergency room. The Foundation is proud to support Altrusa International of Marshfield and its commitment to literacy, comfort, and connection for local children and families.
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