Archive for the Category »Healthcare Family Entertainer «
Performers sometimes must change their tune!
By the nature of their performance venue, hospital clowns and healthcare family entertainers must be versatile and quick on their feet. The personality traits of these special entertainers embody the true heart of a performer, with care and compassion for their audience.
The joy-filled interlude from a patient’s present situation at it’s best, usually appears spontaneous and sometimes even random. It may be spur-of-the-moment, or well-rehearsed, incorporating a number of possible outcomes with different avenues that may be taken. At final bow, the end result of the mini-production is always a special presentation just for that audience.
Sometimes further performer versatility is required by the venue itself, due to new regulations, procedures or newly-discovered potential risks. In case of of Swine Flu, new procedures were adopted at some facilities, while others cancelled Rounds until the epidemic was over. Either scenario causes a change in operations and modus operandi, doesn’t it?
In the case of new procedures or regulations, hospital clowns and healthcare family entertainers usually have to adapt their act or performance to conform. This change sometimes causes a major revision in the actual presentation, to fall within the prevailing guidelines. All segments of a presentation may have to be reworked or retooled accordingly to comply.
Hospital clowning is known to be one of the most difficult disciplines, due to the great number of regulations and restrictions surrounding the performer’s very existence in the setting. A performer in the healthcare venue has to be versatile in relation to the audience as well as to the setting in which they entertain. None of the conditions, observers nor the environment are ever set.
When a change in procedure or protocol causes an entertainer to revise their performance, this gives them an opportunity to become more proficient in the art, to develop a new presentation, and to become more professional in the process.
Facility policy changes may require a healthcare performer to review their act and rewrite accordingly.
The challenge — and the benefit is actually 3-fold:
- Performance must comply with the newly-mandated practice or procedure parameters
- Presentation must effectively deliver entertainment and humor to the intended audience
- Performer learns a new method or means to produce and present in a fresh, new way
As synonymous with the concept of “change,” sometimes entertainers get stuck in a rut and want to avoid revising their act. This stunts their development as a professional, keeping them fresh and learning ongoing, and withholds the needed relief and refreshment they could otherwise offer.
A Hospital or Caring Clown’s mission has always been to do nothing more than to cheer patients through a gentle presence as a means of taking the patient’s mind off their current health condition or painful situation.
Patients are always our primary focus during visitations.
The rule of the day in Rounds is simple is always best. If the patient is under heavy medication, he or she will not really be able to fully participate or grasp the concept of a long or intricate presentation. If a patient is able and seems a likely candidate, we perform nose transplants on the spot, with their visitors participating in the procedure. We often perform along with the visitors, drawing everyone into the act.
Sizing up the audience, including the patient’s condition and alertness, is the second rule of the day on Rounds. Analyzing the environment in the room also plays an important part in determining our performance – are there visitors? What is the mood in the room? Sometimes, our gentle presence is enough, with a smile and wave, to brighten a patient’s day. Sometimes that is all the energy they may have to take in what we can offer.
We entertain the staff at the nurse’s station and in the hallways, as schedule allows. The staff enjoys their joy-filled interlude and comedic stress-relieving moments with us.
Visitors are often treated to entertainment in the patient’s rooms, but sometimes we catch them by surprise in the hallways, waiting rooms, elevators and lobby.
Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting: Through Hospital Clowns, Healthcare Family Entertainers and Applied Humor Therapists takes Heart, Dedication and Training but NOT a degree or special certification.
Recently, a professional family entertainer shared with me their discomfort with changing up their act, a personal reaction to meet more stringent guidelines now in place by a hosting healthcare facility.
Change in an act requires careful examination of many elements in the performance, not the least of which includes the entertainer. Even minor revisions take time, concentration and commitment to see the fine-tuning enhances, rather than adding unnecessary clutter, or possibly removing a key ingredient.
It is a well-known fact that people resist change every day, in every way. Artistic license and creativity are two areas to be respected. Based upon these two irrefutable truths, the professional family entertainer’s reaction is understandable, but gives others pause to wonder what the focus of their performance is — on the entertainer, or for the audience?
By the fact that family performers exist to entertain, it would seem no matter how talented, no performance occurs without the audience. Otherwise, they are merely practicing.
The purpose for hospital visitations, Clown Rounds or healthcare visits is not to “put on a show.” It is to relieve the pain, stress, loneliness or suffering experienced by the patient – the intended ’audience.’ If a “show” is presented, no real connection is made. Thus the ‘audience’ is really a mere spectator, not drawn into the the joy and wonder of the moment, away from their condition or situation.
Perhaps it is that playing with the audience, rather than to the audience is more difficult for some. Maybe performing a practiced routine to receive applause and admiration from all for incredible feats of skill are really what is being sought. Most new entertainers are robotic in their performances, being careful not to “lose their place” in a well-rehearsed act. The presence of any of these possible tendencies calls for an in-depth personal examination as to purpose and focus of an entertainer’s performance.
Hospital clowning is known to be one of the most highly-regulated clowning specialties, due to the protocols, procedures and mandated training. It defies logic to think it should be otherwise, risking life and limb, and spreading disease rather than laughter and cheer. Ignoring policies and best practices is a sure way to be banned from entertaining in any hospital or healthcare facility.
As hospital clowns, caring clowns and healthcare family entertainers, we must do our important work within the guidelines and procedures presented. Health conditions and new developments in the field give rise to the opportunity of developing personally, and in performance in new, exciting ways. This provides an ever-changing framework to further develop professionally.
While the voiced concern of one professional family entertainer is understood, the ability of ‘thinking outside the box’ has been an ever-present element in the type of performances we do.
How are you retooling your performance to meet any new healthcare guidelines or protocols? Please let us know, by leaving a comment…
As a precautionary measure to combat the spread of H1N1 (also known as the Swine Flu), new policies and procedures are being put into place in healthcare facilities worldwide.
This has impacted hospital visitations for those in the Applied Humor Therapy venue:
- Some hospitals have banned or suspended hospital clown group visits for this season
- Some hospitals have amended visitation policies, but allowed clown visits to continue
For those who are currently not making Clown Rounds due to temporary suspension of these visits, it is difficult to have to sit on the sidelines for an unknown period of time.
However, this bit of extra time and space gives hospital clowns and healthcare family entertainers the opportunity to explore new dimensions and learn new skills! Some well-worn props in need of repair, or to be refreshed are waiting for attention. Maybe time and effort could now be lavished on that dream routine or must-have accoutrement waiting to be invented?
For those hospital clowns, caring clowns and healthcare family entertainers who are fortunate enough to continue their Clown Rounds, the heightened awareness of potential infection, coupled with the associated stringent institutional policies, provide new opportunities for Applied Humor Therapists to rise to a greater level of professionalism in their performances.
Finding new ways to spread laughter and cheer and not infection in their entertainment bits, fine-tuning presentation by making one-on-one time with each patient more meaningful, and staying healthy in the process are all possible, with renewed emphasis on best practices and hygiene protocol.
Either condition for the hospital clown, caring clown or healthcare family entertainer require the Applied Humor Therapist to not be swept away by the situation, but rather think outside the box — to their next step.
Such is always the case for those of us who make Clown Rounds, but this time our efforts are reframed with a new focus. This is an opportunity for increased professionalism on all counts. It is an epidemic opportunity!
How about you? Have new policies been established in your hosting healthcare facility? Have they affected your entertaining or visitations in any way? Please leave a comment and let us know…
Private Member-Only online Mentoring/Training for Hospital or Caring Clowns, Family Entertainers and Creative Arts Performers
This brand new Mentoring/Training Program is AVAILABLE Beginning OCTOBER 1, 2009!
This unique Member-Only Mentoring Training Program offers mentoring through training videos, audios and tried-and-true resource materials I have developed, written and actively use to train healthcare family entertainers and hospital clowns since 2004, all based upon my hands-on experience as a Hospital Clown and Applied Humor Therapist since 1997, in one of the oldest existing all-volunteer hospital clown/family entertainer groups.
In 8 consecutive training programs since 2004, I have trained 220 hospital clowns and healthcare family entertainers in service at other healthcare facilities as well as my own group’s site, and those performing in other states and regions.
This unique Mentoring Training Program is presented for all levels of experience.
As a Member, this program is available to be viewed and listened to any time, allowing you the benefit of attending sessions on your own schedule from the comfort of your own computer for the length of your membership!
Your membership is for an entire year and is renewable, if you would like continued support. The membership fee includes all necessary materials and supplies, and is less than most one-time conference registrations, plus you have no travel expenses! (Less than 10-cents/day!)
MultiMedia Materials and fresh Resources are continually added to this program, in addition to the growing number of A Heart 4 Clowning series of books available for purchase, on this topic.
Save time – money – gas and benefit from this unique Member-Only Training Program!
So, the question remains, is it true – ”We shouldn’t leave while the patient is still enjoying us, should we?”
Based on the premise for any hospital clown or healthcare family entertainer’s reason for being in the venue, with the focus on the audience one-on-one on the patient, my answer is: yes.
Some gasp and are probably thinking this is the cruelest answer I could give. Really? When would you rather thank your audience who lies in such a vulnerable position, and so kindly welcomes you, the complete stranger into their room, in the midst of their sickness, suffering or painful condition?
Based upon my experience since performing regularly in this realm, I would rather leave my audience happy and smiling — my goal — than worn out and grimacing with pain. Conditions can quickly change while you are in the midst of your performance or act, and you must be attuned to that situation second-by-second.
I would rather leave my special audience with happy memories of our time together, and a joyful experience, in the midst of the monotony and possible anxiety-ridden atmosphere that existed just prior to my entering their room.
I would rather entertain with my audience one-on-one, on the world’s smallest stage in a world debut of a one-time-only performance, never ever to be repeated again — and leave that as a special heart-memory for them.
My intention would be to entertain them with the tightest act possible, leaving little space to let them slip back to where they were before I arrived, and to quickly depart when I felt my time was up on that stage. Wearing out one’s welcome can come all-too quickly, and most unexpectedly. Staying past one’s due sometimes causes the patient to feel worse, because they appreciate your being there, but feel they are chasing you out. We are there to help them feel better!
“We shouldn’t leave while the patient is still enjoying us, should we?” Absolutely. That is the perfect time!
Leave them with a smile on their face and a song in their heart!
My answer remains a question, “Why are you here?” If you are here for the patient, to play before them on the world’s smallest stage — one-on-one, and you see you have created a pleasurable experience for your audience, have you not reached your goal?
Sticking with the theatrical allusion – everyone remembers with snickers, the performer who remains steadfast on the stage far too long, and the stage manager grabs the “hook” and pulls the entertainer off. In the hospital setting, most likely there is no stage manager with a hook. This means you must rely upon your own sensitivity to the patient’s ever-changing condition and ability to take in your performance. Your focus must remain upon the patient.
Even if you have a rehearsed or somewhat ‘canned’ performance, you must learn to know when to pack it up and bid your audience adieu. It is different with each patient, based on their condition, situation and individual ability to meet you in the small theatre for a moment in time. For this reason, it is far better to entertain playing off and with the patient, rather than repeating your schtick each and every room, throughout Rounds. It keeps it fresh for the entertainer, and it personalizes the bit for the audience!
I have observed clowns and family entertainers whose primary experience is in performing skits and full shows have difficulty with this. They are accustomed to performing their segment, and seeing it to completion, because the punch line, the lesson, or some conclusion is at the other end. In the healthcare setting, we may not get to “the other end,” in order to complete that adventure. Thus, the time spent in performance becomes fragmented, is less personalized for the patient, and no doubt the entertainer becomes frustrated.
The primary reason this form of performance does not work effectively on Rounds, is because that type of entertainment is geared for a controlled environment, not the prevailing “in-the-moment” setting in the healthcare venue. The other related reason is that in such a mode of performing, the entertainers often are mechanical in form, concentrating more on what they are doing than on the audience. I have seen some entertainers perform almost as if they are wind-up dolls, pulling every sight gag out from every pocket in every room they visit. This is not hitting the mark.
So, is it true – ”We shouldn’t leave while the patient is still enjoying us, should we?”
Next: The rationale for my Answer, based on my hospital clowning experience since 1997…
Recently, I was asked by another hospital clown about ‘when’ the proper time was to depart from a patient’s room. “We shouldn’t leave while the patient is still enjoying us, should we?”
My answer is a question, “Why are you here?” While my asking this may at first seem unclear, your answer tells all.
Some folks will respond that they are here because they want to serve others, or they feel led to come and ease another’s pain and suffering. Both noble causes, to be sure.
Some are true entertainers at heart, and want to share their gifts and talents with others, for their enjoyment. In the process, it is hoped that the patient’s pain and suffering will ease at least a bit, for that moment in time.
Some want to be part of a dedicated group of like-minded folk who want to serve in a significant way, and so they come.
All are perfectly wonderful reasons, with pure-hearted motivations for spreading laughter, cheer and entertaining patients in the hospital. However, none of them are “Why you are here.”
You see, the reason we are in the hospital or healthcare setting in the first place is the patient. If the patients were not there, as hospital clowns or healthcare family entertainers, we would not be there, either. The patient is our primary audience, our true reason for “being there.”
Our mission is to do nothing more than to cheer the patients through a gentle presence, as a means of taking their mind off their current health condition or painful situation. Patients are always the primary focus during visitations. Success is measured if only for just a second, after entering a patient’s room they can forget or not think about their situation, through your intervention.
Spreading laughter and cheer in a healthcare setting is no joke. It is not about being silly, wild, over-the-edge or uncontrolled in any way. It is intentionally acting with focused effort to accomplish the important work set before the clown or healthcare family entertainer.
Sizing up the audience, including the patient’s condition and alertness, is the second rule of the day on Rounds. Analyzing the environment in the room also plays an important part in determining performance – are there visitors? What is the mood in the room? Sometimes, a gentle presence is enough, with a smile and a wave, to brighten a patient’s day. Sometimes that is all the energy they may have to take in what is offered.
A healthcare family entertainer or hospital clown must continue to watch the patient, for signs of their growing drowsy or possibly experiencing pain or nausea. Often a patient will valiantly put their best face forward upon your entering their room, but then slip into a state that does not allow them the ability to take in the performance as a participant. All of these factors impact your performance or interaction with the patient.
Every patient’s reaction varies to the gift of your heart to them, and most “welcomes” are as different as each individual visited. The bottomline of the mission is accomplished through the simple act of being there — entertaining one-on-one, injecting healing humor with the greatest of care, and provoking smiles, laughter and cheer…
But still begs the question, “We shouldn’t leave while the patient is still enjoying us, should we?”
Next: My Answer…
The necessity of training goes far beyond knowing how to conduct oneself in a particular setting. The objectives of an effective healthcare family entertainer training program is to:
Build skills, thereby increasing performance ability.
Develop greater competency, and thereby confidence.
Increase each individual’s understanding of the realm within which healthcare performers entertain, while allowing them to gain a full view of this special work.
Assure the hosting healthcare facility of a degree of professionalism, understanding and respect for the performance environment.