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Kids' Health

This fictional story depicts a typical scenario of a child admitted to the Hematology/Oncology Clinic at East Tennessee Children's Hospital. It is intended only to give families a brief overview of what to expect when visiting the Hematology/Oncology Clinic as an outpatient. This scenario will vary depending on your child's health and specific reason for admission. For more information, contact the Hematology/Oncology Clinic at (865) 541-8519 or e-mail us.

My name is Susie. I'm a patient at the Hematology/Oncology Clinic at Children's Hospital, and I have been a patient here for six months. I will probably have to come here for treatments for a few more months, and I will eventually visit only once a year until the doctors and I know that I am all better. I am going to the clinic today to get my treatment. I don't like having to get medicine, but I enjoy seeing all of my doctors, nurses, Melissa the child life specialist, and my friends.

When I first arrive at the clinic, Dad checks me in at the front desk, then we get to go to the waiting room. There are a lot of toys in the waiting room. You can read a book, build with Legos or paint a picture. You can also watch the fish in the big fish tank. Today I decide to draw a picture.

We haven't waited very long when Demetria, the patient care assistant, comes to take me to the place where she checks my temperature, heart rate, breathing and blood pressure. She also measures how tall I am and checks my weight. When we finish doing this, I go to my room, and a lab technician uses my central line, which is a tube that stays in my chest, to get the blood that is sent to the laboratory. I also get my medicine through my central line. Some patients do not have a central line, so nurses put a special cream on their skin so it doesn't hurt if they need to get an IV, which is a temporary tube in their hand or arm.

After my blood test, I can go back to the waiting room with all of the toys. I play Legos with another girl in the waiting room. Her name is Kanisha. She is here today getting a treatment for a blood disorder.

When my doctor gets my blood test results, he calls for my dad and me to come back to my room. He tells us the results of the test and tells us that I am only going to need a short treatment today, so I will only be here for a few hours. Sometimes I need a long treatment, and it takes all day long. While I get my treatment, I sit in the playroom and play the Nintendo on the big-screen television.

After I finish my treatment, the nurse unhooks the tube from my central line, and I am ready to go home. All there is left to do is make my next appointment.

We invite your comments and questions. Please complete our comment form or visit our Phone Numbers page for departmental telephone listings.


Revised 9-24-07