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'The Button Project' helping kids at Mott Children's Hospital see care teams' smiling faces

The Button Project
Posted at 1:58 PM, Mar 04, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-04 13:58:53-05

Children at CS Mott Children's Hospital will now be able to see the smiling faces of those who are taking care of them thanks to a new project.

While masks are protecting employees and families from potential COVID-19 exposure, they hide the smiles and make it hard for some patients to recognize their care team.s

That's why staff at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Von Voightlander Women's Hospital are now wearing buttons with their faces on them, so patients can see their smiling faces without masks.

The “button project” aims to reduce patient anxiety and build trust with care teams, especially for kids..

“Being at the hospital can be a scary and nerve-racking experience for children,” says Luanne Thomas Ewald, FACHE, M.H.A., chief operating officer at Mott and Von Voigtlander.

“We recognize that COVID precautions may make it difficult for some patients to recognize the people who are taking care of them. This project fits with our philosophy to always imagine the hospital experience through children’s eyes so we can improve their environment and comfort.”