Your Stay

Who you may see in hospital
During your stay in hospital you will meet many different people who work there and we will explain who you may meet and what their job is. Each person may play a part in caring for you when you are in hospital.

The Doctor
The Doctors job is to find out why you are ill. The Doctor will make sure that you are prescribed the right medicines and be given the right treatment to make you feel well again. He will explain what will be happening to you and you will be able to ask him questions about your illness.

The Nurse
The nurses on your ward are the people you will see most during the day and also in the night. You can ask the nurses anything you may be worried about.  They will help you do things that you are unable to do yourself because of your illness.

The Radiographer
The Radiographer is a person who operates an X Ray machine. These machines take photographs of the part of the inside of your body that is causing you pain or problems. Your doctor can then see what the problem is.

The Surgeon
Once they have found out what is wrong with you it maybe that you will need an operation. The person who will perform the operation is called a surgeon and they will come to see you beforehand and you will be able to ask them anything about the operation that you may want to know.  For the operation you will be taken to a room called a Theatre. 

The Anaesthetist
The Anaesthetist is the doctor who will put you to sleep before your operation so that you do not feel anything. He will visit you on the ward before your operation and you will also see him just before you go into the theatre in a room called the anaesthetic room.

The Physiotherapist
A physiotherapist knows how every joint, muscle and ligament in your body works. After your operation or treatment the physio may require you to carry out certain exercises which will help you to move about much easier.

Your Stay in Hospital

A visit to the hospital can be for a day, a week or even longer, it depends on what treatment you require and how quickly you get better.  A specific nurse will be assigned to you whilst they are on duty and they will wake you up in the morning and maybe give you some medicine or take your temperature. Your nurse may even visit you through the night to check how you are feeling.

Nurses are always on duty and will always be around when you wake up, during the day, when you go to sleep and during the night so that you will never be alone.

Mealtimes If you are unable to get out of bed you will have your breakfast, lunch and dinner brought to your bed.  A menu card will be given to you each day and you will be able to choose what you would like to eat.

Visiting One of your parents may be able to stay with you all the time while you are in the hospital. Your family and friends will be allowed to visit you at certain times of the day.

Playroom There may be a playroom or special part of your ward where you can find toys, games and things to make and there may also be a television and games console.

Play Specialist A Play Specialist is a person who will talk to you and play games with you during your stay in hospital. You will be able to ask them questions about your treatment and about the hospital.

Doctors Visits During the day you will see doctors coming and going on the ward. They may want to examine you and carry out certain tests to find out what is exactly wrong with you. The results of the tests will tell them the sort of treatment you will need.

Asking Questions Ask the doctor or nurse to explain to you about any tests or treatments that you may have to have or medicines that you may have to take so that you will understand the reasons for them being prescribed.

Treatment The reason you will have treatment prescribed is to try to make you better.

• Treatment could be taking your medicines at the right times
• The doctor listening to your heartbeat with a stethoscope
• Testing your blood
• Having a picture taken of part of your body, which is called an X Ray.
• You may even have to have an operation and for this you will need to wear a gown and you will be taken down to the theartre in your bed or a wheelchair.

Leaving the Hospital When you leave the hospital you should be fit and well and in a short while able to go back to school and see all your friends.  Sometimes however because of all the treatment you may have had your body may need some extra rest to get you back to your normal self.

Getting better at home Which may mean that you

• May have to continue to take medicine or tablets
• Maybe have to have a special diet 
• Maybe have to have a check up by the doctor or specialist
• Will need to have extra rest in bed
• May have physiotherapy at home or at a clinic
• May need to be visited by the Paediatric Community Nurse who is specially trained to look after children at home

Dictionary

Named Nurse - is a nurse who will be assigned to you whilst they are on duty during your stay in the hospital, she will know all about you and your illness and you will be able to ask her any questions about anything that is worrying you.

Pulse - Each time that your heart beats it can be felt as a pulse beat in your wrist. The number of times your heart beats in a minute can be counted by the doctor or nurse by holding your wrist and placing their fingers over the pulse beat.

Blood Test - A blood test is when some of your blood is taken in order for the doctor to carry out certain tests to help him find out exactly what is wrong with you.

Fracture - A fracture is when a bone in your body breaks. In order to treat the fracture the doctor will need to take an X Ray picture to find out exactly where the bone is broken. You may need to have a plaster cast put around the broken area or you may even have to go to the operating theatre to have it repaired.

Auriscope - It is sometimes necessary to look into your ears and a special torch called an auriscope is used.

X Ray - X Rays are special pictures of part of the inside of your body taken by a special machine. The doctor is able to see exactly where and what your problem is and is able to prescribe the right treatment to make you better. You will feel nothing while this is being done but you will have to stay very still or the pictures will be blurred

Prescription - your doctor will write down or suggest the treatment, medicine or tests that he or she feels that you will need to make you feel better.