MIAMI (CBSMiami) – At Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, ‘Doctor Spidey,’ AKA pediatric resident Jennifer Thompson enjoys saving the day by serving to youngsters.
“I do my job here as a pediatric resident and then after I’m done for the day, I switch into my costume and basically volunteer on my own free time to see these kids, whoever asked me to go to see them,” mentioned Thompson.
She might not dangle the other way up or seize thieves like flies, however she does have a ‘Spidey’ sense in relation to connecting with sick youngsters.
“It is a lot of fun because the kids have no idea who it is, and sometimes I might not even be their physician. The toddlers, they believe that it’s real and so I think it’s really cool.”
Thompson obtained the concept whereas in medical college to go well with as much as do a video for one in every of her class assignments, then it grew to become one thing she employed at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Fellow docs began asking her to make visits to their sufferers, particularly ones that had been already Spiderman followers.
She brings toys, stickers, coloring books, objects donated by buddies and supporters, and shares a enjoyable second with the sufferers to take their minds off their state of affairs.
“When I see them, it’s the first time that since they’ve been admitted that they smiled, and that to me makes a huge difference. We had a kid the other day that he was recently re-admitted for something that had relapsed, and he was very down about having to be back in the hospital and getting treatment all over again.”
That was till he noticed Doctor Spiderman.
Suiting up does appear to provide Thompson some particular powers.
“We as residents and doctors, we don’t actually spend a lot of time face-to-face with a patient. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work, writing notes, putting in orders, reading about the patient, looking up all their lab values. So, we don’t actually spend a lot of time in person with a patient and to have that time with them is a really cool thing.”
And similar to Spidey, she will be able to joke round, however she understands the fact of being a hero.
“‘With great power comes great responsibility,’ just like the quote in the movie, is a quote that I live by too.”