A new addition at Chinook Regional Hospital is putting smiles on the faces of both health care workers and young patients.
Chip, the moral-boosting 2’11’’ robot, is the new man on campus at the hospital’s pediatric unit. He’s become a valuable part of the team, designed to provide comfort to sick children.
“Kids just relate to him right away,” said Maria Malcom, a child life specialist in the unit. “I’ll be walking down the hall and kids just look over and smile.”
Chip entertains and calms young patients before they undergo procedures. He can play soccer, tell stories, perform secret handshakes, and even dance.
But that’s just the fun stuff; Chip can say anything the operator wants through the use of a controlled tablet. That feature allows medical staff to break down barriers with the kids by having Chip walk them through a procedure.
“It makes the procedures go a whole lot easier and faster,” Malcom said. “Also kids are rating their pain 50 per cent less by having Chip involved.”
The $18,000 robot became a reality through contributions from the Chinook Regional Hospital’s Pediatric Fund.
“To get an opportunity like this to find something that specifically helps the kids in the hospital is something that we’re really excited about,” said hospital foundation executive director Jason Vandenhoek.
Chip’s only been at the hospital for a week-and-a-half, but if you ask families, he’s already making a big difference.
Those at the pediatric clinic believe they are just scratching the surface in what they can do with Chip and plan to continue to work on his programming.