The Teen Council, made up of 15 teenagers who have been or are current patients, advises Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital employees and leadership on issues regarding the patient experience through the eyes of a teen.
Council members network, problem solve to accomplish improvement goals and advocate for change that will better serve teenagers and young adults during future hospitalizations. The council has worked to change the hospital pajamas, food service trays and offer feedback on The Blue Glass Studio (the hospital’s internal television station) logo design and content development.
They also collaborated with Cardiology and Nephrology departments to create an adult care transition plan. Their perspective helps us empower teenagers to be active participants in their care.
Over the years of being in and out of Spectrum Health, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the nicest people. People who make being in the hospital a good thing. I’ve had so many amazing experiences in the hospital with nurses, doctors and child life specialists that I’m now working to become a pediatric nurse, myself, so that I can do the same for kids who are in the same boat as me.
The biggest motivation for me was that I get to make a better hospital for fellow teens. We get to help doctors and grownups understand us a little bit more.
I was a year too late to help change the design of the gowns, but that’s the coolest thing I’ve seen the Teen Council do. I also love when we get to talk to the doctors to give them advice about teen stuff.