Meet Pip the Penguin

Pip the Penguin with NYGH blocksNorth York General Hospital is proud to officially introduce the newest member of our paediatric family, Pip the Penguin.

Named by our young patients, the community and staff earlier this year, Pip can be found on the 3rd floor's Child and Teen Unit and paediatric outpatient clinics. Children visiting the hospital are welcomed by our new mascot and are reassured North York General is a child-friendly place that will take good care of them.

“Bringing a child to the hospital can be scary and cause anxiety, and we want to make that experience as comfortable as possible for families,” says Dr. Ronik Kanani, Chief of Paediatrics. “As part of our child-friendly initiative, Pip the Penguin helps make a child's hospital experience feel more comforting and familiar. This year, we've introduced a few new activities to engage children using Pip, to help take their minds away from not feeling well and being in the hospital.”

New to the Child and Teen Unit this year:
 
 

Pip the Penguin on the unit and at the clinic

When you walk into the Child and Teen Unit or the outpatient clinics, you are greeted by Pip the Penguin.

Along the hallways of the Child and Teen Unit, Pip the Penguin is walking towards the playroom dropping a trail of toy blocks along the way for children to follow.

 

 Children's story book – The adventures of Pip the Penguin

Parents can read The adventures of Pip the Penguin to their child. It's a story about how Pip came all the way from the South Pole to North York General Hospital to help all the children.

Get a sneak peek at the story book.
 

Child and Teen Unit passport

Children admitted to the unit will get a passport to collect stamps for every brave moment while at the hospital. Brave moments can include taking medications, having blood work done, or going for a test such as an X-ray.

Get a sneak peek at the passport.

“We started the child-friendly initiative in 2007,” says Cathie Badeau, Director, Maternal Newborn and Child and Teen Programs. “Hospitals tend to be an adult world. Being a child-friendly hospital means acknowledging that children and teens have unique needs and perspectives. We are incredibly proud of our efforts to put our young patients first and enhance the patient and family experience.”


Children at North York General are supported and nurtured in a child-friendly culture reflected in our policies, services, appearance and approach to care. Parents can be with their child throughout their hospital stay and flexible visiting hours allow family members and friends to visit at any time. The Child and Teen Unit team includes a child and youth counsellor and volunteers that help support our young patients and organize activities and arts and crafts with children.

 

This article first appeared in the October 2014 issue of The Pulse. 

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