Lying on a gurney headed for an operating room can be scary for adults, let alone little kids. Since the ride to the operating room can make pediatric patients so frightened, one nurse at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, California, has changed the way kids roll into surgery—making them a lot less stressed.

Pre-op nurse Kimberly Martinez figured that kids would be more comfortable going into surgery if it could be made fun, so they’re now driving into the operating room in mini cars. They can choose between a black Mercedes and a pink Volkswagen Beetle.

The kids can operate the car themselves, or they can be remotely controlled by an adult, and the smiles prove that driving into surgery is making a difference for these little ones.

 

Martinez tells CBS News that she’s noticed a big difference in pre-surgery jitters. “When the children find out they can go into the operating room riding in a cool little car, they light up and in most cases, their fears melt away,” she explains.

“It can be traumatizing for a young patient to be peeled away from their parents as they head into surgery,” she said. “This truly helps everyone involved.”

Doctors Medical Center purchased one of the cars and the second was donated by an employee’s family, CBS reports.

It’s such a cool idea and one that could make a lot of kids feel less scared when they have to wave goodbye to mom and dad before surgery. Let’s hope that more hospitals adopt this genius idea.