Say the word 'hospital' and you get different pictures in your head - 'Holby City', 'Casualty', broken bones, life-saving operations. The list is endless.
| Being with your family is something we take for granted. |
But 'infection control?' is not something that immediately springs to mind!
Talk to Julie Austin, one of the specialist nurses in the Children's Hospital, and you realise just how kids depend on this background work.
Julie is quite clear about her job. "I have responsibilities for ensuring the children are safe from infections, and again, all the nurses and doctors."
Education is essential in Julie's work. "If a child has meningitis we would go and talk to parents to make sure that they understand about the illness and the antibiotics that are necessary."
She recognises the different feelings Christmas can bring for young people in the hospital and highlights some of the real problems children can experience.
"Children who have infections may still need to be kept in their room because of spreading infections to others. Being with your family is something we take for granted."
Even in these cases, the hospital tries to give the individual touch. "We do make sure that they have Christmas cards, and their Christmas decorations up in their own room so they don't miss out." Although Julie does not work Christmas Day any more, it is easy to see that to her Christmas in hospital is special. "I think there's a lot you can do for people if you work Christmas," she says.
Parties at Christmas
Remember as a kid going into hospital and worrying about the foul-tasting medicine, the injections, and perhaps, even worse, not knowing what was going to happen to you?
The Childrens Hospital has an answer to these problems, to make a young persons stay better.
Donna Websters claim is to make a pleasurable experience for any child coming into hospital!
She is a play specialist, and responsible for ensuring a safe area for children, as well as providing distraction, through play, from the more worrying side of hospital visits.
Her enthusiasm is infectious. She talks about the new toys arriving in the out-patients department, bought by the Childrens Appeal from the Wish-List made weeks ago.
Its not surprising that children once in the hospital find it difficult to leave.
This morning, we had a little girl come in and she was playing, making Christmas trees, she says.
Then her grandma said Come on, were going to town. But the little girl replied: I dont want to go to town!'
Donna is well aware Christmas is a time for being at home with families but is quick to point out the efforts made by staff.
We really go to town on Christmas Day, staff come in on their days off and we really try and make a bad situation the very best that we can, she says.
Christmas in the hospital is a busy time for Donna and the staff.
Childrens parties are arranged, drinks, crackers, balloons, all that youd expect. A carol concert has taken place at Sheaf Quay.
But, beneath the entertainment, Donna is aware the hospitals main concern is looking after the youngsters.
A couple of the staff who take plasters on and off are coming in on their days off over Christmas just to cope with all those new roller blade and biking injuries.
About the team
This article was produced by David Burnham, Samantha Chetwynd, Laura Brunt, Laura Dodsworth, Tara Aston, Rebecca Robinson and Erin Spence, all aged 13 and 14, with support from Shakila Alssalam, Davina Midowell, Wesley Taylor, Naveed Ullah and Sheriena Risden. It was published in the Sheffield Star.
