BRING POKE PALS TO YOUR COMMUNITY

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Help children prepare before the procedure becomes a crisis

Poke Pals™ partners with pediatric practices, healthcare organizations, and community sponsors to provide hands-on medical-preparation workshops for children and families.

Our goal is simple:

Children receive preparation without cost. Organizations invest in making healthcare more accessible.

THE PEDIATRICIAN ORDERS THE TEST. THEN THE EXPERIENCE DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW.

Many pediatric practices send families to outside laboratories for blood collection.

The practice may receive a result—or discover that no result was produced—but may never learn what happened during the encounter.

Was the child prepared?

Was collection attempted?

Did distress escalate?

Were multiple staff members needed?

Did the family leave without a specimen?

Will they try again?

Poke Pals™ gives pediatric practices a way to support children before they enter that room, even when the procedure occurs somewhere else.

 FREE PILOT OPPORTUNITY

SEEKING ONE PEDIATRIC PRACTICE PILOT PARTNER

Poke Pals™ is seeking one pediatric practice interested in hosting an introductory workshop at no cost to the practice or participating families.

The pilot will demonstrate the feasibility of offering child-centered medical preparation in a familiar community setting and gather feedback to guide future partnerships.

The pilot is designed for a small group of up to five children rotating through six guided preparation stations.

No blood draws or invasive procedures are performed.

WHAT POKEPALS PROVIDES

POKEPALS WILL PROVIDE

• Workshop planning and facilitation
• Six structured medical-preparation stations
• Child-friendly materials and practice equipment
• Sensory-aware activities
• Visual and communication supports
• Opportunities for choice, participation, and breaks
• Caregiver information and preparation resources
• A brief feedback process
• A post-pilot summary and partnership conversation

THE PILOT PRACTICE WILL PROVIDE

• An appropriate space for the workshop
• One designated practice contact
• Help inviting a small group of potentially interested families
• Basic logistical coordination
• Feedback about feasibility and community need

Families remain with their children. Poke Pals is not childcare, therapy, or a medical service.

WHAT WE HOPE TO LEARN

The introductory pilot is intended to explore:

• Whether families are interested in this kind of preparation
• Whether the workshop format is practical in a pediatric-practice setting
• Which stations and supports families find most useful
• What children choose to explore and practice
• What logistical changes would improve future workshops
• Whether the practice sees value in continued community access

The pilot will not claim to prove that a workshop guarantees successful blood collection or prevents medical trauma. It is a practical first step toward understanding feasibility, acceptability, and future evaluation needs.

SPONSOR PREPARATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

If the pilot demonstrates sufficient interest and feasibility, future options may include:

• Practice-funded workshops offered to families at no cost
• Sponsor-funded community workshops
• Seasonal or recurring preparation events
• Workshops shared across several pediatric practices
• Partnerships with laboratories, health systems, schools, or community organizations
• Staff education and consultation
• Development of an appropriately reviewed evaluation plan

Future partnerships are tailored to the setting, population, and available funding.

SPONSOR PREPARATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Community sponsors can help cover the materials, facilitation, space, and program costs required to offer Poke Pals workshops without charging participating families.

Potential partners may include:

• Pediatric and family healthcare organizations
• Regional health systems
• Laboratories and diagnostic organizations
• Children’s foundations
• Community-benefit programs
• Local businesses committed to family health
• Grantmaking and charitable organizations

Appropriate sponsor recognition can be discussed as part of the partnership. Children and families are never used as promotional content without specific permission.

STAFF EDUCATION AND CONSULTATION

PokePals™ also offers education for teams seeking practical approaches to pediatric preparation, communication, sensory access, and early recognition of distress.

Education can be adapted for:

• Pediatric practices
• Laboratory and mobile-collection teams
• Dental practices
• School-health personnel
• Behavioral-support organizations
• Community programs serving children

Training supports—not replaces—clinical judgment, organizational policy, and profession-specific standards.

LET’S PREPARE CHILDREN BEFORE WE REQUIRE THEM TO PERFORM

Whether you represent a pediatric practice, healthcare organization, community sponsor, or professional team, the first step is a brief conversation about your setting and goals.

HOST THE PILOT

SPONSOR A WORKSHOP

START A CONVERSATION