What would you as parents would like from Children a&e

[ChildrenAandE]

I am a HCSW on a paediatric accident and emergency department.

I already take into work all my DC toys that they have out grown and pay my DC if they wish the cash value, also DVD that are U rated that my DC no longer watch.

As part of my role I clean the toys so we can only have toys that are able to be cleaned. Which I do every morning.

I also do wall displays as they would do in nursery and schools.

I want to do more to more for both parents and children that come to us.

Got any ideas

Not too many toys (and not too noisy)
Signage explained system
Chargers
Vending machine which takes cards
Magazines for older kids
A quiet room
Signage asking to keep your children under control
A changing places toilet (suitable for adults and older children)
A TV that works
An explanation up about how triage works
HCPs who listen to you

(Long and traumatic visit to awful A+E at the weekend!)

Just wanted to say you sound wonderful OP. Keep up the good work

You sound lovely. Chargers to borrow would be great for parents and children. I think it would be reasonable for you to suggest people donate 50p/£1 + deposit to borrow them to allow you to maintain your equipment.

Before spending your own money, is it worth contacting retailers to see if they can help? I've heard Tesco might have small grants available for community projects.

I'm going to be controversial... I know lots of people have suggested a quiet, darker room so little ones can nap better, which sounds good on the surface. As a HCP this scares me a bit. Multiple times I've walked past children who have deteriorated since triage and been able to spot that and see them quicker or rush them into resus. Would feel nervous not being to do that as easily.

Parsnip room is before triage - in waiting area.
You keep things calm at home, in car, and then all of sudden they are scared by neon lights, other people, TVs blaring, toys etc.

In fact doesn't even need to be a seperate room just an area of the waiting room where the lights are dimmer during the night and you can get away from the tv and noise

Recently had a really brilliant experience of children's a&e but with a 2 year old in the day. So for us the toys and TV and things were great. Can see it's trickier with older children.

I think you sound amazingly thoughtful too

I agree with a quiet area for any DCs with sensory issues, A&E can be hellish if they have any SN that includes SPD.

My DD has had a very bad time at ours for several reasons linked to her chronic illness diagnosis, but I have to say, when its been a straight forward serious illness such as Pneumonia, they have been amazing & have saved her life a couple of times

Can I add the flyers below, doctors seeing this & having a constant reminder on a wall in the assessment room might save a lot of us with DCs living with chronic pain conditions a lot of upset & extra distress. We've suffered ignorance at our kids A&E so many times that DD now refuses to go there - which is great when her condition makes her prone to injury :(

Last time, we were sent away twice with minor sprain advice. I actually had to really argue with the doctor & refuse to leave to get a T&O referral - when DD had actually dislocated her hip, but they read her not screaming & crying as it couldn't be that bad. This has been a frequent theme for us sadly

These as a reminder can help...

My local children's A&E is well equipped and welcoming, but the problem I had was lack of clear communication from HCPs. Not necessarily their fault as they are incredibly busy. But I've never forgotten the feeling of being told 'don't worry, she won't have to go to theatre just yet' when I had no idea that they were even going to admit my poorly child. A clearer explanation of the diagnosis and its implications would have been very much appreciated.

I'd like more people like you. But also second the need for more private/quiet space for those that need it - waiting with a teenager has seriously self-harmed in the same area as sick toddlers, worried parents, etc is uncomfortable for everyone.

Agreed something for older dc. I spent 6 hours in a and e with my 9 year old recently. The books were all for younger children. As were the toys. There is free WiFi in our local hospital but my phone died and I didn't have a charger.

Hospital rules probably wouldn't allow chargers to be used. We are not technically allowed to let parents charge their phones on the ward. (Not supposed to use their phones either) But we turn a blind eye too it as all the kids have phones now and it's impossible to police anymore. The rules are because all equipment needs to be PAT tested. And also because of phones all having cameras on.

When I click on 'threads I'm on' it shows another comment since mine. But it's not here :

Oh it is now. Stupid technology 😂

When I moved from the waiting room to a side room with a bed another mum kindly gave me her charger. 2 nurses and a dr saw me using it and no one said I wasn't allowed

Although the PAT testing could be overcome if the chargers were hired/lent out by the department. Presumably they could then be PAT tested?

If we have any in lost property we will lend them
Out or let parents with iPhones use our iPod charging locker but we really don't have time for lending them out on a regular basis and trying to ensure we get them back would be a total ball ache!

If we have any in lost property we will lend them
Out or let parents with iPhones use our iPod charging locker but we really don't have time for lending them out on a regular basis and trying to ensure we get them back would be a total ball ache!

I second *RockinHippy's' posts. Having spent four hours in A&E, followed by a pointless GP appointment in the last week, I would really like all medical professionals to recognise that children with chronic pain conditions don't scream or make a fuss when they have a serious injury.

It is so important to take full history and listen to parents as well as the child. Ds is 12, so the medical professionals all addressed him directly and whenever I spoke brushed me off as if I was being a fussy parent. I know that ds2's 6/10 pain scale would be someone else's 10/10, but they assumed I was making a fuss and not only misdiagnosed the problem, they also assumed he wasn't in anywhere near the amount of pain he actually was.

I have just had to pay for ds2 to go private for someone to finally recognise how much pain he is in. After a very thorough assessment and examination they diagnosed what I suggested to both the A&E staff and the GP I thought it in the first place. As a result of them not listening to me or properly taking into consideration his chronic pain condition ds has already missed a week of school and is about to miss another, possibly two due to how late he finally got the correct treatment. If it had been left any longer it could have led to serious complications and another chronic condition.

As for waiting room facilities etc, I would also appreciate an area with lower lighting and if possible for this to be a designated 'quiet area' for patients that need it.

I tend to go pretty well equipped these days and always have a charging brick in my handbag that both ds2 and I can use, which eliminates the need for a plug-in charger.

I would like to say though, that you sound lovely and are going well over and above the call of duty.

We have had great service from our children's A & E with a sick baby. Suggestions I would make:

• Some sort of "guide to the A&E process" up on the wall. So, explain that you hand in your form, then you wait, then you get triaged, then you wait, then you see a doctor, then you may be admitted or sent home. Just useful to know the process.

• Updates on waiting time. Not because I'm impatient (I am happy to wait) but because it would be good to know whether I should try to feed my baby/get her to nap or if we are about to be called.

• Softer lighting at night in the waiting room.

• Ideally, no loud TV on at night. If you do put a DVD on please make sure it is playing and not stuck on the "menu select" page with background jingle...!

Extension leads on all the sockets too so that lots of people can charge phones/tablets at once?

I know I am super paranoid about germs in doctors/hospital waiting rooms and am always a bit worried about letting my children play with the toys or read the books. It would be really reassuring to have a little sign saying all toys and books are wiped down every day and maybe have a pack of antibacterial wipes available nearby so people can use them when their children have finished playing?

More comfortable chairs, an area with lower lighting (not necessarily a separate room, just away from the glare), and more availability of food, i.e. Vending machines, ideally with a better choice than just sweets.
Chargers would've nice too, although I've learnt to bring my own.

Our local hospital's children's ward is really well equipped for young children and teens. There are dvd players and dvds which can be borrowed, a 'lounge' with games consoles, huge beanbag chairs and a computer for the tweens/teens, a playroom for the young children with games, pens, paper, toys etc. Plus there are plenty of vending machines dotted around.

The only improvement on the ward would be chargers to borrow (if owned by the wars they would be PAT tested) and dvds that are 12/12A rated for the teens, not many teens want to watch U or PG films.

The a&e is great for little children bit could definitely use things for teens like chargers, books, and working wifi with obvious signs that it's there and the password.

Softer lighting would be great for a nighttime, not too dark but not the glaring strip lighting either.

A cash machine and change machine would be brilliant or vending machines which take cards and/or paper money. I've lost count of how many times I've had either no cash or no change and had to go to a&e, the cafe is only open until 6 and is the other side of the hospital so not great if you have no cash/change.

Having someone like you op on every hospital would also be great.