Nitrous oxide has a relaxing and calming effect and reduces the feeling of pain.
When do you get nitrous oxide?
Some things in the hospital may scare us a little. Just think of a painful wound that the nurse wants to treat. It is not so bad to be afraid. Adults are also sometimes afraid of something.
Because being scared is not nice, the doctors will help you with nitrous oxide. It will make you feel less, or even not at all, afraid. So you no longer need to hide under your sheets.
How is nitrous oxide administered?
Together with mum and/or dad and your favourite cuddly toy, you go to a separate room (for bedridden children this can also be in their own room). In that room there is a bed where you can lie down. The play assistant can also join you, if you want.
The nurse puts a funny kind of peg on your finger or toe, that is connected to a tray. This allows the nurse to check the oxygen in your blood.
Next to your bed is a large, heavy bottle. This bottle contains the nitrous oxide. It is connected to a mask that the nurse puts over your mouth and nose.
Then the nurse will turn a wheel, which makes the nitrous oxide enter the mask and you will start breathing it in. A balloon hangs from the mask, which will be fully inflated. Wow! The nitrous oxide makes you very calm. You will not fall asleep, but you may become very tired. Fortunately, there is a long tube that prevents the nitrous oxide from entering the room. Otherwise everyone would get a bit sleepy
When you have calmed down completely by the gas, the nurse can take care of you. You won’t notice much of it.
When the nurse is finished, the nitrous oxide wheel is closed again and you are given extra oxygen. This way, the effects of the nitrous oxide wear off more quickly. And that’s it, all set and done. If you have done really well, you can choose a little present.
