At Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware we’re very fortunate to have a vibrant group of teens who commit their time and talents to making the hospital a better place for our patients and families. Each month, the Teen Advisory Council (TAC) comes together to improve our care in all kinds of ways. TAC members help us make meaningful improvements for all the children and their families while in the hospital. We rely on our teen advisory council to help create new services, streamline our processes, and even weigh in on how to build a better place to care for children.
Our Teen Advisory Council (TAC)
Made up of teens, many who have chronic or complex health conditions, the Teen Advisory Council (TAC) provides insight on what patients want most! TAC does whatever it takes to make the hospital a “home away from home” for the patients who come here. Our members:
- are active and important in the day-to-day life of Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware as they develop and foster partnerships among children, families and providers
- are the voice of hospital patients and advocate for new ideas or changes assist in patient/staff education and professional development
- increase awareness of the unique needs of adolescents with chronic medical conditions, as well as the needs of their siblings
- engage the community as active, positive hospital ambassadors
- come up with ways to make hospital policies, services and programs better for patients and families
Accomplishments & Initiatives
TAC (formerly Youth Advisory Council) was started in 2010. Since then, we've accomplished many things:
- Educating staff on using child friendly language, planning fun and therapeutic events for patients, and celebrating and appreciating staff for the difference they have made in the lives of patients and families.
- Creating a better place for kids by helping design parts of the hospital’s expansion project like choosing the color of the building’s exterior, patient room furniture, and the location and size of the patient room TVs.
- Improving patient morale by creating colorful spoke covers (no more pinched fingers) for the hospital’s 120+ wheelchairs.
- Influencing in-room entertainment by adding new channels to the hospital’s GetWellNetwork and choosing new movies every few months to keep things interesting.
- Enhancing the patient menu to include more kid-friendly meal choices and extending the room service hours.
- Promoting healthy eating by working with Nemours Health and Prevention Services to taste-test and choose healthy snacks for our vending machines.
And so much more. If you’ve been a patient here or are a patient’s brother, sister, or friend, and you have a heart for helping others, we want to hear from you.
What Our Members Have to Say
See why our members love the TAC
“The group is supportive, generous, fun, and hard working. It is young people helping at the hospital and making it better.”
— Eliza, age 12
“My favorite project was the wheelchair covers. It was cool to go into the hospital and actually see kids sitting in wheelchairs with the covers we designed on them.”
— Emma, age 11
“I like helping think of ideas for the hospital expansion. I feel like I’m making a difference because many of my suggestions have been used.”
— Jackson, age 10
“I was an original [YAC] member until I got sick and found out what it was like to be a patient firsthand. I’d like to tell new patients that it’s hard to be in the hospital, but there are many people, including the YAC, who are doing everything they can to make it easier.”
— Jillian, age 13
Become a Member
- Using your voice is sometimes the most empowering way to cope with your health care experience. If you want to meet engaged, active teens who are united with a common goal to improve Nemours patient services, please join us.
- Get involved with the Teen Advisory Council (TAC). Apply to become a member (PDF).
Nominate a Patient
- Staff can nominate a Nemours patient to be part of TAC. Nominate a patient (PDF).
Teen Advisory Council leaders comprise of members from several hospital wide disciplines including: Child life, Social Work and Physicians. Please email us at TAC@nemours.org with any questions you may have.
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