Help - I Ideas for car boxes for children's wards

[Whitegrenache]

My dd 19 is a student child nurse and has been inspired by a parent and child talk at her university yesterday from a family whose child had a lot of urgent admissions to hospital. This mam said one of the things missing that would help their stay be more comfortable in awful circumstances was having access to like an emergency care pack to include such things like socks toothbrush shower gel etc

My dd has now taken it upon herself to try organise to get something like this in her local NHS trust.

I have a couple of questions for you lovely ladies

1. What do you think needs to be in these "packs"
2. Any one got any experience of doing something similar
3. Any ideas for fundraising to start us off

Thanks in advance for your help

Lovely idea.

I wouldn't package them as a 'box' as different people need different things so a lot will be wasted.

Can she focus on making sure that there are the essentials available on the children's ward so parents can pick and choose what they need?

In addition to what you've listed -
Access to phone chargers
Books (adult and child) to borrow
Scrubs to change into if you've been vomited on (voice of experience...)
Access to really basic sustenance (tea and toast!) if you don't want to leave a sick child to go to the cafe.

It is the sort of thing people who happily donate items to.

So perhaps a coffee morning type event where entry is donation by item.

We have done it for a local children's ward. We focus on multi use items. Phone chargers. Small soaps. Small toiletries. Like travel size.

Pens and paper or pencils and colouring.

Books.

Home bargains is good for multi packs of toothbrushes. Which obviously are not multi use.

Puzzle books.

I'll largely second everything above. Emergency changes of clothes for adults and children would be really helpful, as would access to chargers.

Moisturiser, you wash your hands a lot in hospital.

Also check what the local hospital does already so she's not duplicating effort – does it feed parents (ours feeds one parent per child), does it have toys/colouring things already?

If there's no separate children's A&E, a children's corner or alcove always makes me feel less like I'm inconveniencing everyone else by being there with a small child.

On my ward we already do this so I would get her to check this first. Also how is she going to fund this? On some wards this may be stock, or may come from the hospital charity in which case you have to apply for the money or in some hospitals they do it as part of a shared governance scheme. Or it’s donated. If she fundraises what happens when the money runs out or is spent? These packs don’t last long. There’s a lot to think about.

I once went to A&E with my child expecting them to send me straight home. He was admitted and I couldn't get home for another 48 hours. I had nothing with me and he had thrown up on me in the A&E.
I needed clothes, underwear, comb, basic toiletries including pads, toothbrush. Food and water!
The ward was understaffed and there was a very challenging family who kept kicking off. No one had time to get anything for me or watch my child (and there was no way I was leaving him). We were in a side room, so no passing foot traffic either. It was pretty horrific.

I’ve always been given socks and basic toiletries. Food for the adults is the nightmare IME, and unless they feed a parent as a rule, that one can’t be solved.
i do agree - not a box, as most would be wasted. But basic bits do need to be available. I think scrubs to use if vomit/need to stay over unexpectedly would be great

Have a look at Finlays Friends - https://www.facebook.com/FinlaysFriends?locale=en_GB

This is a scheme that was set up in Scotland in memory of Finlay Bennett who I had the honour to meet when he was a ring bearer at my daughters wedding. They provide 24 hour comfort kits for carers whose children are admitted to hospital in an emergency. Included are items such as a teddy bear for your child, socks, a blanket for mum or dad, chocolate, note book and pen, etc.

Underwear. I thought I was going to a GP appointment but my DD was sent to the local hospital and then a specialist children's hospital 50 miles away.

She had no clean underwear for about 3 days when someone could travel and bring some in for her.

Slightly different but a charity called Millys Smiles gives a bag to children diagnosed with cancer at certain hospitals.

I'm sure the founder, Lorraine, who is Millys Mum, would give some pointers to your DD as to how to get started fundraising

www.millyssmiles.org/

Thank you to all of you for your advice and suggestions

I volunteered with a clothing charity who provided clothes for stroke/rehab/elderly wards , basically it helps people get better if they get dressed properly, but they often come into hospital without anything .

I expect quite a lot of other wards could use occasional clothes to borrow, for example people who have come in from RTAs and had their clothes cut off. My dad was on a ward with a guy who had to travel home quite some distance in pjs.

I don't know really how hospitals operate but i expect one department doesn't always know what supplies others might have.