The hospital as a social space: childrens perspectives

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The hospital as a social space childrens
perspectives
Dr Jo Birch, Dr. Penny Curtis, Professor Allison
James Centre for the Study of Childhood and
Youth University of Sheffield
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• The significance of social interaction
• Social interaction opportunities and
  limitations
• What would children and young people like?

• afforded by the space

afforded by other people

• desired by children

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(1) The significance of social interactions the
literature

• 1959 Platt Report - children are sociable
• 1970 Hospitals, Children and their Families -
  childrens interaction with other children on the
  ward varies
• 1980 Children in Hospital problems meeting
  adolescents needs for privacy
• 1993 Children First A Study of Hospital Services
  peer company is very important for adolescents
• 2001 NAWCH understanding adolescents social
  needs
• 2003 Health Building Note 23 socialising for
  long term patients only
• 2003 Friendly Healthcare environments single
  bedrooms ideal plus designated social areas

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(1) The significance of social interactions our
research

• Clear in interviews past memories favourite
  aspects of the wards when children talked of the
  potential for space on their own

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• More than half of our sample of experienced
  and/or regular hospital inpatients cited a
  social element to their memories of previous
  hospital visits
• Mostly in terms of friendly staff
• also friendships with
• other children in hospital

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• Teenagers included social elements in their
  responses about best things about the ward

• Making friends with other children
• Talking to a particular child in a nearby bed
• Talking with brilliant staff
• Being in the playroom where you could
• get to know people, talk, chill

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• Social interactions (or lack of them) were
  noticeable during observations and mapping
  sessions
• In outpatients, older children and teenagers
  almost never socialised with anyone other than
  parents. Activities for younger ones are often
  set out for solo engagement.
• In inpatients, very rarely were children observed
  socialising with each other. Adults were often
  the mediators or catalysts of many
  conversations/play situations.

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Rarely were social interactions visible in
childrens drawings of hospital spaces
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(2) Social interaction opportunities and
limitations The space

• Public spaces
• Bed spaces
• Clinical spaces
• Outdoor space
• Recreation spaces

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Children
MEDICAL CONDITIONS (making friends) is very
difficult because you dont know what anybodys
gotIts usually children with the same condition
as yourselfthats how I met him. Hes got the
same thing as me. And somehow we got talking and
its just nice 15m I like talking to other
people but I dont feel like it at the moment
11f
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Children
CUBICLES OR BAYS? For Quiet, easier to sleep, be
with family only, own TV, own bathroom Against
Lack of social contact Cos you dont get nobody
to talk with 6f Because I feel quite lonely in
like a room by myself, even if my dad was there
11f at least being in a six bed thing, youre
like, youre not just on your own, you can chat
to people, but if youre in one room, I can
understand if youre really ill and its
contagious 14f Mum I mean I think its nice
that shes got her own room, her own toilet,
bathroom, I just Yeah, but youre not in it
every second of the day 16f c
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• HAVING A CHOICE
• like put people with similar ages like 15 and 16
  near each other so they can have like a
  conversation 15f
• because if you are like my age, you want someone
  to talk to 13m
• Because if there was like one boy and all the
  rest were girls the boy would be left out really
  9m
• depend on how I feltlike if I was tired or
• didnt feel right 13m
• but he wasnt a speaking personI was like
• do you want the TV on. He just nodded his head
• like that 16m
• I dont play with those people 4f

homeschoolstore.com
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Other people Family/Visitors Ive talked to
my mum. Ive talked to someone who said wheres
your mum 6m Nurses Doctors Play staff Other
staff
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Mum just started talking to her so I gave her
some colours 12m
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• 9f
• Because if some of your family want to come, like
  your nana and most of your family, theres not
• 14f
• Yeah, theres no chairs, theres no chairs. You
  have to nick all the others from around

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Other people Family/Visitors Nurses The
nurses are calm and they are good to have a
laugh and stuffif theres nowt to do you can
talk to a nurse 9m Doctors Youre in good
hands Play staff Other staff
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There are just really nice to you and theyre
not like the teachers (a bit strict) 11f
Youve got doctors you can talk toobviously
theyre having a little laugh you can see on
their facial expressions 12m
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Other people Family/Visitors Nurses Doctors Play
staff they are the people who bring round
televisions and things to do 5m Other staff
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• I know that lady! 8f

• you get to colour with the lady. Cos I like
  attention from lots of different people 7f

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(3) Childrens recommendations

• Spaces to be with others the same age
• Personal space for privacy and quiet (all ages)
  AND space for talking to others and seeing other
  children
• A large enough social space (especially for
  teenagers) that is open, available, not locked or
  overly policed both in outpatients and
  inpatients
• Working telephones and opportunities to text and
  use instant messaging at the bedside to be in
  touch with friends and family at home
• Friendly and sociable staff who take time to talk
  with them

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And theres no one there and you cant talk to
no-one and you dont feel happy and you dont
want to be here and you dont want to come again
14f