Making hospital preparation child-centered (with a little help from Emily).

Helping youg children learn about the hospital shoould, ideally, involve a multifaceted approach that utilizes tools appropriate to the child's age and needs. The hospital preparation process at Alberta Children's Hospital that has attempted to achieve this end through the coordinated efforts of the Recreation/Child Life and Nursing departments is discussed. Our preparation process consists of several phases, commencing prior to admission and carrying right through until discharge, with the "thread" that draws it all together being a whimsical kitten named Emily.