1. Courage Cape
Caroline Keesee
Shands Jacksonville Medical Center
Winter Intern 2013

2. What do the capes look like?

3. Why is a cape needed?
Promote courage
Provide support
Encourage cooperation
Model behaviors
Support creative visualization
Stimulate imagination

4. Who will benefit from the
cape?
Patients between the developmental
ages of four and seven.
Erikson’s Initiative stage of psychosocial
development.
Piaget’s Pre-Operational/Intuitive stage of
cognitive development.
Patients demonstrating maladaptive
coping behaviors.

5. How to assess if a cape is
needed?
Child Life Risk Factor is moderate or high
Patient verbalizing fears and anxieties
about the medical setting
Patient treatment plan includes procedural
preparation
Patient in need of empowerment and
courage

6. Why superheroes?
Superheroes
portray…
 Courage
 Power
 Fearlessness
Patients face challenges
in medical settings…
 Helplessness
 Powerlessness
 Fearfulness
 Pain
 Strangers
 Past experiences

7. Why superheroes?
Play helps
patients feel…
 Brave
 Empowered
 In control
 Comfortable
Research shows that
play is important to
childhood development…
 Aids in communication
 Establishing relationships
 Fosters learning
 Enables understanding
 Promotes mastery
Create an Environment of Prosocial Play

8. What can be done
with a cape?
Pretend powers
Flight
Invisibility
Alter ego
Hide and seek
Fight fear
Keep warm
BE BRAVE
Empower the patient…
What will they do with the cape?

9. Considerations
Infection control
 Germ warfare
• Education
• Containment
• Patient focused
 Individual use
 Disposable/Take home
Safety
 Supervision
 Boundaries
 Prosocial play
• Be kind
• Be caring
• Be helpful

10. Considerations
Patient directed play
 Imagination
 Creativity
 Leadership
 Ownership
 Empowerment
Combat Concerns
 Channel violence &
aggression towards
prosocial behaviors
 Overcome obstacles
 Defeat fear

11. Materials
Fabric of your choice
5/8th
of a yard for 1 cape
1 and 1/4th
yard will make 2 capes
Badge ID clips
Sewing machine
Thread

12. Design - Pattern

13. Design – Finished Cape

14. Sewing Directions
Cut fabric to measure.
Folder over ½ inch seam allowance on all raw
edges of cape.
Press.
Serge or Sew with finishing stitches.
Fold tabs in half widthwise wrong side of fabric out.
Five inch side is fold.
Sew top and side.
Turn and press.

15. Sewing Directions
Plan on setting aside 20 minutes per individual cape.
Sewing multiple capes together will decrease time.
Create 5/8th
inch button holes 1/3rd
inch from finished edge.
Fold under 1” of raw edge of tab.
Pin to seams edge on short side of cape.
Sew in place.
Attach badge holder clips through button holes.

16. How many capes are needed?
Ten capes per month…
8 capes a month for the Pediatric
Emergency Department.
4 capes a month for the Pediatric Intensive
Care Unit (PICU).

17. Enhancements
Embellish
 Emblems
 Badges
 Stickers
 Foamies
Guided Imagery
 Actual life events
 Adventures
 Fact or Fiction
Personalize
 Names
 Alliterations
Involve the environment
 Parents
 Siblings
 Toys
 Staff
Define Superhero qualities

18. References
Butler, S., & Kratz, D. From superheroes to real-life hero” Encourage healthy
play. Early childhood news.
De-Souza, D., & Radell, J. (2011). Superheroes: An opportunity for prosocial
play. Young Children, 26-30.
Martin, J.F. (2007). Children’s attitudes towards superheroes as a potential
indicator of their moral understanding. Journal of moral education, Vol. 36,
No. 2, p 239-250.
Rollins, J. A., Bolig, R., & Mahan, C. C. (2005). Meeting children's psychosocial
needs across the health-care continuum. Austin, Texas: Proed An
International Publisher.
Thompson, R. H. (2009). The handbook of child life: A guide for pediatric
psychosocial care. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, LTD.