A Word About Service at Schneiders

 I've mentioned it in passing before, but I'll mentioned it again now.  We're very impressed with how the staff here relates to parents.  I've never spent long periods of times in ICUs at children's hospitals, but compared to my experiences at Alyn and Shaarei Tzedek, as well as my own experiences in a former life at Haddasah Har Tzofim, something is better here.
In short, its so much better here.
In the past, I'm used to a "if you ain't holding your intestine in your hand, don't bother me" attitude, Schneiders seem to turn bedside manner on its head.
From the first day we had our echo, to all the action in between, the doctors and nurses have been patient, kind and calming.  Sure, its a hospital, so everyone is busy.  But they are always kind to our questions and prodding and its such a relief.
A few examples:
When we arrived to check in on Monday, the cardiology secretary had a list of things to do, and made sure that list was getting checked off.  She called departments, pushed us in, got us our room, asked if we needed anything else.  Living in Israel ten years, I've never experienced that before.
Before the surgery, all doctors came in to explain the procedure.  We met in a private room.  We talked.  The doctors did not move from their seat, until we gave the ok.  No question was too small, no issue not discussed.
At 1245pm the day of surgery, as we were getting ready to come and ask the nurses to call into the OR, they preempted us and asked us to come in to talk to the doctor.  They assured us 5 times everything was "בסדר".  That didn't help.  We ran to the hospital, our hearts beating louder than an african jungle tribe, and banged (politely) on the Department of Surgery doors (which were locked).  We were buzzed in, the secretary asked what we wanted, we answered huffing and puffing and pale faced that we were called in to speak to the doctor.  We waited five minutes and out came Dr Birk, head of cardiology at the hospital.  Shorter than I thought... profile pictures don't show height.  She told us immediately everything is great, the surgery went well, and they were closing him up now.  Then she asked us why we were so nervous, she told the nurse to tell us everything was ok.  We told her that we didn't expect a phone call, and she had effectively scared the wits out of us.  We then talked.  For at least ten minutes.  We talked about where we were each from (she has a close friend who lives in Providence!  I always win at Jewish Geography.), we talked about Truncus all over the world, and we talked about how she took her procedure from the States, and has been very pleased with it's results.  She didn't not flinch to move until we were calm.    Still having two hours to kill, we went to daven Mincha, and visit to the hospital mall.
Same thing happened in the ICU.  The nurses explained everything to us, kindly and with patience.  We never feel like an outsider, and are always welcome to ask anything and get the answers we want.

I have to say, the hospital is doing something right.
Now, we need to talk about parent's hospital beds.  These chair/sofa/cot things are not beds.