In the morning, the nurses in your ward will bring you breakfast. The nurses looking after you will encourage you to wash, brush your teeth, and get dressed if you’re well enough. You will have a toilet and a bathroom close to your bed – or sometimes as part of your individual room. Getting dressed for the day can help you feel better!
Doctors sometimes come round early in the morning to see each patient – they might bring medical students or other specialists with them. They will always be happy to answer any questions you have. If you prefer, your parent or adult can ask your questions for you. The doctors might decide that you need some tests, like an x-ray or a scan. You can read more about it in the scans and x-rays section. Opens in new window If you don’t need anything new, you can go to the playroom or stay on your bed to read or play games.
Sometimes you might have treatment, like physiotherapy to help your body recover, time in the gym or rehab room to work on exercises to make your muscles stronger, or a visit from a speech and language therapist, or dietician who can help with your recovery. You might also have some medicine to take throughout the day (your nurses will help with that). If you need to have any tests or checks and are feeling worried, one of our Play Specialists can come to see you, to show you the equipment, or let you see, touch and listen to things that doctors might use. If you are feeling scared or unsure about anything, they can help you understand what is going to happen.
The Hub can be found on the ground floor by the Outpatients pod. Run by the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and open to everyone, you can drop in, take a yoga class, or spend some chill-out time away from the wards. Make sure you look out for our ECHC artists and youth workers on the wards – there’s a daily Arts Programme provided by ECHC, and you can find out details on your bedside welcome app.
Little France school is open during normal school hours, and if you don’t feel well enough, teachers can come to see you in your bed. After lunch, friends and family might come and visit you in your ward – it can feel quite busy at times. If you have some time between tests or having your medicine, you can go back to one of the playrooms – or have some fresh air in one of the outside courtyards. You might even spot the helicopter landing on the roof!
Later in the evening, it’s time to relax and get ready to go to sleep. You might watch some TV or a movie, play a game or read. There is always space for an adult to stay overnight with you – either next to your bed or in our special family accommodation on the top floor Opens in new window. Hospitals can be busy at night time too, with people moving around and the noise of equipment, but we’ll try to make it as easy as possible for you to get a good night’s rest. It’s normal to feel a bit homesick or worried – let your nurse, your parent, or another adult know, and someone will always be there to help you.
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