What do you picture when you think about a children's unit in the hospital? (Please read details)

Should I not answer this question if what I see when I close my eyes is the Children’s Unit I was personally on when I was a child? It would be more like an actual description and not a “vision”.

@poofandmook Please go ahead and answer. If that was what you think a unit should look like I’d love to hear it!!

No clowns. The nurses at our local hospital dress as clowns, & the kids hate it. Also, a neutral colour like beige or cream. Kids can be pretty fussy over the colours, so just give them something plain. The walls here are this sickly vomit-green.

I see sunny yellow walls with handmade art made by the patients both past and current. I see it structured to be as non-linear and non-rectangular as possible. I see a radial arrangement with the nursing station at the centre with an encircling walkway toward to outer area of the ring to facilitate movement around the unit. I see skylights to bring in natural light during the day and full spectrum fluorescent lights in common areas for the night time hours.

How I imagine them
Sticky sweet smell like the Strawberry Shortcake doll.

Calico wall prints in lots of orange, yellow and light blue and mint green.

How I’d like to see them
Earthtone wall paint colors.

Wall art of actual people and children instead of cheesy animation characters.

More natural scent aside from Pine Sol, Orange spray or that sickly sweet fake fruit smell mixed with urine stuff.

Full spectrum lighting.

Lots of non poisonous green plants.

No toys with bells or squeakers.

Wooden puzzles of the world’s continents and countries.

Video screens showing short clips of children performing basic hygeine things, eating healthy example meals and snacks and exercises.

I think that the unit’s look and atmosphere will have a strong effect on the child indirectly via the parents – if they are uncomfortable with the environment the child is in, then that may unconsciously transfer to the child.

Hospitals will usually have hi-tech equipment all over the place – this can be exciting and re-assuring as well as frightening for both the parents and children. Newly decorated wards / units can often feel sparse, plain and ‘false’, especially if a few images of flowers and teddies are too clinically on show.

A messy room is more homely; more to be distracted by. Clean, but messy and disorganised, like a child’s bedroom, might be the best environment for some.

The unit was was on was a normal looking unit. Semi-long hallway with a nurse’s station at one end, white walls, and a playroom that had decals on the wall and an array of toys and books. But for the most part, it looked like any other unit in the hospital.

This is not what I THINK a children’s unit should look like. I think it should be neutral or soft colors. I’ve seen wallpaper borders but wallpaper and tape on the walls is against Joint Commission regulations. So maybe a painted stencil or something… something soothing. no clowns or dolls or anything with a face, and no busy colors. Gentle toys, not loud bangy toys.

To me, the looks and colors of the place are secondary to the need to have someone in the room at all times. I remember being scared because there were only other sick children there, and if someone needed help, it took forever before any help came.

Also, the beds were so high, I couldn’t get off to go to the bathroom – so beds that can be lowered to a normal height when the nurse or doctor doesn’t need them raised.

What I picture: The Johns Hopkins Children’s wing at their main Hospital in Baltimore. It has all the unpleasantries of the hospital in terms of smell but they try to have bright colors and animal decorations along the walls. Each floor is a different theme but all involve animals. The few windows I’ve seen look out on other hospital buildings and streets.

What I want: (I’m picturing something that’s more for long term illness treatment I think). Something on the ground and separate from the main hospital. Something with bright natural colors like yellow or green and windows that look out on a garden and/or playground. Kept very clean and doesn’t smell like hospital. Colorful and fantastical art along the walls in the form of murals but it has to be kept up on and not allowed to degenerate. A library of children’s books and board games, possibly video games if the hospital can afford it or is part of the charity “Child’s Play”. Only doctors and nurses that legitimately care about children. Waiting rooms have plenty of children’s toys like blocks and such.

Thank you for the answers everyone! I appreciate it. It’s nice to see the different ideas that everyone has! Lurve for everyone. :-)

Everytime I close my eyes and try to picture it all I see is sick kids in front of me. Sorry I am worthless on this one.

They should be decorated just like the child’s room would be decorated. Playful, homey. The nurses uniforms have prints that are child friendly if possible. It should be less like a hospital more like a home. Lots of toys….