Jun 22, 2021 Going Mobile: A Retrofitted Toy Jeep Empowers Young Patients at Saint Barnabas

A retrofitted toy jeep empowers young patients to take the wheel.

In February, 5-year-old Ella Francks underwent surgery at Saint Barnabas Medical Center (SBMC), Livingston, NJ, which required her to be in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for a time.

A key part of Ella’s care plan involved having her consume liquids to stay hydrated—a tough ask, because swallowing is uncomfortable after a surgery like the one Ella had. Ella resisted.

But the PICU nurses had a secret weapon: If Ella met her drinking goal, she could drive the unit’s battery-powered toy Jeep down to the playroom.

Ella drank the water, and off she drove to the playroom.

“It was so great to see her having fun after a bit of an anxious morning,” recalls her mother, Sarah Francks.

The Jeep is useful for encouraging patient compliance, but also for much more, explains Lauren Farrand, MSN, RN, CPN, Clinical Director of the PICU. “We want our patients to get out of bed and participate in activities to the fullest extent possible, and the prospect of driving the Jeep encourages that,” she says. “This kind of early mobilization has a big impact on their road to recovery and leads to a better outcome.”

Moreover, the activity provides a welcome distraction. “When possible, we let kids drive themselves to a procedure or even to the OR,” Farrand says. “It keeps their mind off where they’re going and lets them feel more in control at a time when so much is out of their control.”

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit team members Liz Ricciardi, BSN, RN, Patient Care Coordinator; Lauren Farrand, MSN, RN, CPN, Clinical Director; Vanessa Silva, BSN, RN; and Kevin Reylado, BSN, RN, are pictured with Kearny Police Benevolent Association members Mathew Lopez, Jason Rodrigues, Derrick Hemphill and Ryan Stickno.

A Generous Donation

The toy Jeep came to the PICU through the efforts of nurses who felt passionate about giving their patients an outlet and a chance to take the wheel. Vanessa Silva, BSN, RN, heard about a similar car in use at a West Coast hospital, researched the subject and came to Farrand with the proposal that the SBMC PICU should have one, too.

Silva, who grew up in Kearny, then asked for a grant from the Kearny Police Benevolent Association (PBA). The group wasted no time in approving the purchase.

“Not only did the PBA buy the car, they assembled it and delivered it, and gave us a bunch of cool police stickers for the kids,” Silva says. “They were awesome!”

Next, the Jeep needed a special customization: a tow bar suitable for the secure attachment of an IV pole. For that, the PICU team turned to David Savage, ATP/SMS, RET, an assistive technology specialist at Children’s Specialized Hospital of New Jersey in New Brunswick (also an RWJBarnabas Health facility). “I reinforced the inside bumper and added a plastic plate so the IV pole can be flipped down and locked when not in use,” he says.

Now the car is a familiar sight in the halls of SBMC. Before a patient sets out on an excursion to the playroom or to a procedure, nurses scope out the route to ensure that nothing is blocking the hallway. An adult accompanies each trip, equipped with a remote control for the car that can be deployed if needed. (The remote control also allows even very young children to “drive” while an adult maneuvers the car.)

The Jeep is just one tool in SBMC’s multidisciplinary approach to helping young patients’ recovery. “We work alongside physical therapists, physicians and the Child Life team to get our patients out of the PICU as soon as possible so they can return to their regular activities,” Silva says.

“The car provides a much-needed break for patients and their families,” Farrand says. “It’s a lot of fun to see both the patients and their parents light up and forget for a moment that they’re in a hospital.”


Pediatric Care at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, call 888-724-7123.