Secret full-time job

Also people might believe that your outside life pauses and that you have a lot of time to yourself and can relax. Often this image is used in different media and in the news. This might be some people’s experience of hospital, but for those with a long- term health condition the picture is a lot more detailed, and demands a lot of that person. In essence, managing their health is a secret full-time job. For a young person in education this can be a lot to manage; often schools and other pupils underestimate the amount of energy this takes out of someone. But it is important to recognise the resilience and determination of these students who continue to strive for their education despite these challenges. 

What is a hospital admission really like?

Hospital admissions differ depending on the condition but many factors are similar across the board. During the day on a ward you often have different people you need to see. There will be multiple tests and procedures carried out by nurses, doctors, dieticians, and psychologists. These may include blood tests, medication reviews and scans. All this leads to a stop-start schedule when someone is trying to keep up with their lessons, making learning more difficult. For anyone who has wanted to get a job done but keeps being interrupted you will know that you cannot fully concentrate, and this can become frustrating. Even if students have access to a hospital school they can still be interrupted, leading to less time in the classroom than in a mainstream school.  If a student is taking A levels or is at university, they often must do private study in their hospital bed, which means they are less likely to have time for studying. 

It sounds obvious, but if someone is admitted to the hospital they are very unwell. Feeling like this will affect your energy levels and concentration. These are not the best conditions for someone to be able to study to the best of their ability. To combat being ill someone's medical team will prescribe different medications to improve their health. But unfortunately these medications can have side effects of their own, adding to the initial symptoms, like headaches, drowsiness, nausea, etc. This could lead to more treatments to counteract the medications' side effects. All of this can lower further a person's energy and concentration.  Most people would like to have their health improve in a linear direction. However, the human body and mind do not always work that way, and recovery is often two steps forward and one step back. This can lead to a yoyo of symptoms and energy, from feeling like you have no need for sleep to being asleep for most of the day, and this can take it out on someone's mind, body, and soul.

Speaking of unpredictability, a hospital schedule can be very unpredictable. Often, it can feel like a merry-go-round of different staff members and last-minute procedures. Add this to the unpredictability of the human body and you sometimes find the only fixed time in the day is your mealtimes. 

All of this, plus trying to keep up with your class with studies and socially, can become too much. This can lead to increased anxiety during an already stressful time. Schools must understand the unique challenges and provide the necessary support, understanding, and an inclusive school society. 

Ready to go home?

It is time for someone to be discharged from the ward to go home, so they must be much better, right? From a clinical point of view, yes, but with everything a patient could go through during the hospital admission they are still in recovery, so they are unlikely to be back to their best when they return to school. It is easy to think that if a student returns from a hospital admission they can usually go straight back to school, but remember that they have been through a lot physically, emotionally, and mentally. A gradual introduction back might be needed, or checking in with the student to ensure they are okay with their return. A student may have a lot of hospital admissions but that does not mean that it is easy for them to complete these times in hospital.

You’ll probably like to know how I know so much about admissions and returning to everyday life. Well as someone who’s spent their educational life with hospital stays thought-out I’ve gained a lot of experience. In fact, as I write this blog, I am sitting on my hospital bed during my latest hospital stay.
I must go now, physio just walked in.

Ciera
Well at School