Maryland Heights, Mo. (Feb. 5, 2025) - Following a $1.4 million renovation, Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital has unveiled its first two classrooms specifically designed for its OZ program.
Short for Optimization Zone, OZ is an in-hospital, neurodevelopmental program for children aged 5 and younger with complex medical conditions. OZ provides structured social play and developmental stimulation, two important factors to help reduce the adverse developmental impacts that often accompany long-term hospitalization.
Celebrating three years this spring, OZ has become a cornerstone of the hospital’s unique care model, Care Beyond the Bedside, which focuses on getting children out of their hospital beds and using play for healing.
OZ started in 2022 in a makeshift space in the hospital's South Gym. After seeing positive results from patients participating in OZ, the Ranken Jordan team wanted to grow the program and give it a permanent home. Two new OZ classrooms were announced in the spring of 2024 as part of a $1.4 million renovation.
In addition to the classrooms, the renovation included repurposing a nursing station and administrative space on the inpatient unit to create corrals, similar to playpens, for children under 5 to allow for more space to play. The project also included enhancements to the hospital’s art room to improve therapeutic art capabilities.
The OZ classrooms were the final stage of the renovation and are now fully up and running. Kristin LaRose, Chief Nursing Officer for Ranken Jordan, said the space represents more than a renovation.
“Our new classrooms send a huge message about our commitment to OZ and who we are as a hospital,” LaRose said. “We created OZ because the 0-5 year window is critical for a child’s neurodevelopment, and research shows children who are hospitalized are more likely to have developmental delays.
“We’ve seen tremendous improvements in the patients who have participated in OZ. The new classrooms offer more space so all children ages 0-5 at Ranken Jordan will be able to take part in this program. OZ is not just a permanent part of our building now, it’s a permanent part of our care.”
OZ was inspired by Ranken Jordan’s own research, published in 2023 in the peer-reviewed journal Child: Care, Health & Development, that tracked the whereabouts and activities of their patients. The first study of its kind, its purpose was to learn more about why a long hospital stay can put a child more at risk for developmental delay.
As part of the findings, the research team identified different ways to enhance young patients’ neurodevelopmental opportunities, such as face-to-face interactions, time out of the hospital room, and a variety of toys, books, music, and positive touch, all of which have been integrated into the OZ curriculum.
“Our goal with OZ is to give our patients dedicated time to get out of their hospital beds, but we also want to show other hospitals what’s possible,” said Dr. Nick Holekamp, Chief Medical Officer for Ranken Jordan, who leads the hospital’s research group. “Whether they’re in the hospital or not, kids learn and thrive through play. That ethos is at the heart of every decision we make at Ranken Jordan and we hope our commitment to OZ shows the pediatric care community just how important play is to not only our patients but kids everywhere.”
To learn more about Ranken Jordan’s new classrooms, read Kristin LaRose’s latest post on the Beyond the Bedside Blog. For more information about Ranken Jordan, visit rankenjordan.org.
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Media Contact: Haley Raymond, Leigh Walters Communications, HaleyR@lwc-stl.com
Ranken Jordan
Ranken Jordan is a pediatric bridge hospital that cares for kids from birth to 21 who are well enough to leave a traditional hospital but need help before they go home. The only hospital of its kind in Missouri and one of only a select few in the country, Ranken Jordan specializes in caring for children and their families with the most complex conditions, illnesses and injuries, bridging the gap between hospital and home. The 60-bed hospital uses an innovative care model, Care Beyond the Bedside, which gets children out of their hospital rooms, activating the healing power of play. Located in the heart of the Midwest, Ranken Jordan serves patients from across the region at its state-of-the-art facility.
