SONS, DAUGHTERS JOIN PARENTS IN PRETEND SURGICAL ROUTINE

When 16-year-old Collin Vandergraaf drew his name, he didn't win a trip for two or a car. He won the privilege to be the patient in an appendectomy. A pretend appendectomy that is.

Vandergraaf was a participant in the second annual St. Francis Operating Room Mother-Daughter-Son Day held Thursday. The day was prompted by the annual "Take Our Daughters to Work" day organized by the MS Foundation five years ago.

Some 24 sons and daughters of operating room personnel took part in the day. Susan Teets, a peri-operative education nurse, coordinated two sessions for children, ages 9 to 18, to tour, observe and participate in surgical procedures through "role play."

Vanergraaf and the other young people experienced operating procedures as true to life as possible. "We got Collin ready for surgery," said Teets. Lying on a gurney, Vandergraaf appeared to have an IV actually inserted into his arm (although it was really taped with no needle inserted) and was gowned, capped, draped and readied for surgery.

He and his sister, Erica, who also participated, are the children of anesthesiologist Dr. Robert Vandergraaf. Erica, 13, who played the part of a circulating nurse, said she was not planning to go into medicine. "I'm not really interested in medicine; I just came for the fun of it."

Each participant was shadowed by their parent or another operating room employee. Each had to gown and glove using exact surgical techniques. Emily Worley, daughter of Dottie Worley, director of surgery, was a scrub nurse. The "real" scrub nurse, Ida Givens, a certified surgery technologist for more than 24 years, showed Worley how to don surgical gloves. After several tries, Worley admitted she didn't want to be a scrub nurse. "I'd rather work getting the patients to sleep and stuff," she said.

Givens said it's a difficult task to be a scrub nurse. "You must make sure you don't contaminate your gloves or gown," she said. "But my job is never boring." Givens told Worley the scrub nurse's job is an worthwhile job. "My job is never boring; it's the most exciting job you would ever have."

Teets daughter, Christy, 17, is in the process of making her career choice for the future. This is her second year to participate in the pretend surgery and is certain she wants to go into the medical field. "I'm not sure what area of medicine I want to go into," she said. "I have listened to the stories my mom tells me about surgery and I find it very interesting and exciting."

Surgeon, for the pretend appendectomy, was Ashley Pilz, daughter of circulating nurse, Lois Pilz. Using real instruments, Ashley operated on Vandergraaf. A red foam area was used to represent the actual surgical site. Although she appeared nervous at first, she used her instruments in steady hands. Teets said all materials used for the pretend surgery are the same teaching materials used to instruct new staff members and medical and nursing students on surgical techniques.

Ashley said she wants to go into medicine as a career but not on humans. "I want to be a veterinarian," she said. That's OK with her mom. "I want to encourage my daughter to do whatever she wants to do," said Pilz. "But my job is exciting; every day is different and challenging."

After the pretend surgery the "staff for the day" went to lunch with their parents in the hospital cafeteria.