Pediatrics Virtual Tour: AAMC Surgical Services

To learn more about Pediatrics at AAMC, go to http://www.aahs.org/peds/surgery.php.

Prepare yourself and your child for their surgery by attending this age appropriate and fun inside view of what will happen on your child's day of surgery. We will take you and your child on a walk through all the areas they will experience when you come to AAMC including a real Operating Room. They will make a craft and get to play with all the medical equipment that they will encounter during their stay. Parents are welcome attend with out their children however tours are geared to school aged children ages 3-13.

Bella had to have surgery. Her parents chose to take her to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland.

After they parked in Garage A, they stopped at the information desk and asked the volunteers for directions to the surgical unit. While they were walking to the unit, Bella's parents told her that surgery is a way for doctors to fix things inside of your body. They then went to the second floor, which is where patients wait and are admitted for many surgical procedures.

After checking in to the front desk, Bella and her parents were shown back to the prep room where she was allowed to pick out a toy to keep her company while she waited for surgery to start.

Her mom and dad were given a pager so that the doctor could contact them to let them know how the surgery went.

Bella was then called back to the prep room so that the nurse could get her weight and height measurements. Bella was then given an identification bracelet for her ankle and gave bracelets to her parents so that they could be identified as her mom and dad.

Afterwards, the nurse took Bella's temperature and blood pressure. Bella described the feeling of the blood pressure cuff around her arm as feeling like a " big hug." The nurse also checked her breathing and blood oxygen levels by placing a red light-up clip on Bella's finger and by using her stethoscope to listen to Bella's breathing.

After a few minute, the anesthesiologist came in and explained the medicine to Bella and her parents that would make her fall asleep. Then, the nurse cam in to the room with a dressing gown and helped her change so that she would be ready when she was called into the operating room. She also got socks and a "silly hat to wear."

Afterwards, the surgeon came and discussed the specifics of her surgery with Bella and her parents. Bella's mom was given a special blue hat and suit so that she could stay with her daughter until the anesthesia made Bella fall asleep.

Then, the nurse and doctor rolled Bella to the operating room on the stretcher. The operating room was filled with the surgical team already waiting to start Bella's operation.

Bella then used the mask that the anesthesiologist gave her to take some deep breaths so that the anesthesia could help her fall asleep. The doctor sang a song to help Bella drift off.

After her surgery was over, Bella's doctor came out to let her parents know that the surgery was over and the she was in the PACU, or the "wake-up area." The doctor let her parents know that the surgery was successful, and that Bella did a great job.

Bella got a popsicle while she was waking up. Then the nurses then took her temperature, checked her heart rate and listened to her breathing while she was waking up. She also go to enjoy a popsicle while waking up from the anesthesia.