Camp Pendleton, California - Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton's Austin's Playroom, located on the second floor adjacent to the Family Medicine Department, has added child watch services for hospital patients.

Dedicated January 31, 2014, Austin's Playroom served as a location for children to use in order to break the association with long hospitalizations and out-patient medical appointments of family members. The room has added child watch services in order to assist patients with appointments and add an element of ease during hospital visits.

"Before, parents had to stay with their children, but now they can leave them in the room while they go to an appointment, said Lt. Cmdr. Frank Munoz, NHCP command chaplain. "Our main reason for changing this to a watch site is to add some convenience for patients and hopefully improve their health care experience while here."

Austin's Playroom is staffed by volunteers from the Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association and will operate Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information on Austin's Playroom Child Watch please contact NHCP Pastoral Care at (760) 725-1223.