This is a little difficult question to answer. There are some considerations to be made before
making a decision about participating in this special day.
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The age of your daughter is important. 9-10 years of age is about the right age to
consider participating. Working as a
nurse, your daughter will need to remain alone in the nurse’s station or break
area for a good portion of your shift, so there needs to be enough maturity
there to sit quietly and entertain herself.
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How long is your shift? A twelve-hour shift is too long for more
children. Perhaps arranging for a half
day visit is a better option, again, age is a factor.
Teens
If you have a teenage daughter, she may benefit more
from a day at work with you, especially if she has an interest in a medical
career. Use your free time during the
day to show your daughter around, and let her get a good idea of what mom or
dad does during working hours. If there
are small tasks during the day that others need help with, maybe she can
volunteer, it’s good experience and can be help full to your coworkers.
Some things to keep in mind, your daughter is not a
hospital employee so unless she obtains volunteer status for the day, she will
not be able to access any patient information or records, which means any type
of paperwork or patient information.
A Daughter-to-Work-Day True Story
Lyndsey was a 15-year-old very typical teen according
to her mom. Her heart was set on being a
model, that was all she talked about. Her parents were not happy that she wanted no part of college, but she
had her mind made up modeling was her destiny. It was take your daughter to work day, and Carol invited Lyndsey to
accompany her as a nurse. Lyndsey went
so she could get out of school for the day, however it turned out to be so much
more. Lyndsey said she had no idea what
a hospital was like, and how so many people were patients. She visited the pediatric floor and met a girl
that was also 15, and being treated for cancer. Her outlook on life took on a whole new meaning that day. Lindsey cried, smiled, laughed, and walked
away with a very different outlook on career choices. She began doing volunteer work at the
hospital, and at age 18, made her parents very happy by attending college. Lyndsey went on to become a pediatrician that
specialized in cancer care, and at age 28 she is working at Shriners Hospital,
and is one of the children's favorite doctors.
Lindsey said she often wondered what life would have been like had she
not gone to daughter to work day, but none the less, she is very glad she did.
You never really know what an impact it may have on a
young person to be exposed to an environment of sick and injured people,
especially if they see children near their own age.
The best thing to do is weigh out the options, consider
your daughters age, and level of maturity. Then, can she handle what she may be exposed to, or is there a way to
shield her from anything that may prove to be too extreme. If you reach the conclusion it would be ok
for her to attend, make sure you clear it with appropriate departments at the
hospital, which is usually Human Resources and your department supervisor. Use the day as a bonding and learning
experience. Asking several times
throughout the day if your daughter is doing ok, and making sure she is
comfortable in the environment. At day's
end, on the ride home extend a question and answer time. She may have questions regarding illness or
even death, this can be a great time to cover the subjects in question. Many young people do not get the opportunity
to experience a hospital environment, so this could be a very valuable
experience, especially if they follow up in school with essays on their day and
experience.
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