Sykehusklovnene
Who: Sykehusklovnene Vestland
What: Improve the daily lives of hospitalized children and to assist in medical procedures at Haukeland Sykehus.
Where: Bergen, Norway
Project period: 2024
About the project
Sykehusklovnene is present at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, to improve the daily lives of hospitalized children and to assist in medical procedures. Sykehusklovnene have a dedicated team of 6 professional healthcare clowns in Western Norway, and a hospital coordinator dedicated for Haukeland. The clowns are present at Haukeland approximately five days a week, including one fixed procedure day weekly.
The Children's and Youth Clinic at Haukeland has 4,000 admissions and 33,000 outpatient consultations annually. In 2024, the hospital clowns will interact with approximately 5,200 patients (ages 0-18) and assist near 200 young patients in medical procedures, such as wound care for burn injuries, blood tests, anesthesia induction, and other procedures that children find scary or difficult. The hospital clowns help create a better experience and increase the efficiency of medical procedures, with the purpose of making the process less traumatic for both patients and their families. This is a multidisciplinary collaboration with healthcare personnel.
The Grieg Foundation makes it possible for Sykehusklovnene to continue our work with children and young patients at Haukeland in 2025. Staying in hospital can be frightening for both patients and their families. Through this project, the hospital clowns can continue to meet children on their terms and provide them with a break in a challenging hospital environment. The clowns create moments of joy and empowerment for the children, and the joy on the children’s faces provides a much-needed respite for their families.
A day at Haukeland costs 8,200 NOK, covering the fees for two clowns and coordination work. A grant of 500,000 NOK would fund about 61 clown days at Haukeland, reaching approximately 1,700 children and young patients.
About the organisation
Sykehusklovnene is a foundation working to improve the daily lives of children and young people in hospitals or undergoing treatment at home. We are present and collaborate with clinics, surgical and pediatric departments in 20 hospitals around the country, with 50 professional hospital clowns. Our target group is children aged 0-18 with various diagnoses and conditions.
The foundation's purpose is, by using the healthcare clown profession, to conduct genuine clown interactions with children and young people in medical treatment. Through play, curiosity and imagination, the clowns create moments of joy and empowerment for the children. The hospital clowns work closely with healthcare professionals, contributing to medical treatments be more effective and faster. A quality study conducted at Rikshospitalet shows that hospital clowns contribute to a reduced use of restraints and sedative medication during the induction of anesthesia. Research also shows that laughter and joy reduce pain, strengthen the immune system and reduce stress.
