【News Citation】
When a child is hospitalized, the parents also stay overnight to care for the child. The parents must constantly take care of their children, and it has been pointed out that they are unable to sleep or eat well. While the nursing staff is forced to rely on the child’s parents, there is a movement to improve the situation.
Not Even a Shower
Four years ago, a housewife (41) from Aichi Prefecture was hospitalized for a week accompanying her then 10-year-old son. She thought it was like a stretcher because of its narrow width.
I couldn’t turn over, and it was hard. …… It wasn’t a comfortable bed, but I had to live with it.”
At another hospital where he spent two nights last year accompanying his second daughter (7), he was relieved to be able to borrow a sofa bed. However, he had no time to relax as he assisted his daughter. She had to go to the bathroom very often because of the IV drip, so I had to accompany her to the bathroom outside the hospital room by pulling the IV caster each time. She ate her meals at the hospital’s convenience store and never had a chance to take a shower.
These conditions were also reported in a survey conducted in June by the non-profit organization “Keep Mama Smiling.
Yuki Mitsuhara, president of the NPO, said, “It has become the norm for parents to take care of their children for long hours in place of nurses. We would like parents to be able to choose whether or not to accompany their children.
【Citation】
【Personal opinion】
I have actually had the experience of accompanying a child in the hospital!
It was when my child was only one year old, but he suddenly became ill requiring surgery and went straight to the hospital.
At that time, exactly what is described here happened!
I was still a year old when my child suddenly became ill and needed surgery!
X. There is no option whether or not to accompany the child or not. I was not even asked in the first place. When a small child is hospitalized, it is natural that he/she should be accompanied by a doctor, and I was asked whether I wanted to be accompanied by the father or mother.
○While in the hospital, only the child’s food is served. The attendants have to prepare their own meals separately.
If you want to finish at the hospital cafeteria, make an appointment with one of the few nursery staff in the hospital (they are only supposed to be there for 40 minutes), then dash to the cafeteria during that time and eat your rice as if you were writing it down.
If you exceed 40 minutes, you will be warned.
The child must be accompanied at all times during hospitalization, so he cannot go out or even go shopping.
At night, the child and I slept together in a single-person bed. The bed had an iron fence to prevent the child from falling out, so it was difficult for the child to turn over in bed.
The shower time was limited to 20 minutes per person. When I asked for more time, I was told, “Please take your time after you leave the hospital.
However, at the time my child and I were hospitalized, this situation was not even considered or raised as a problem.
I’d like to believe things are slowly getting better.
