Video: what is it like to visit hospital? (1 min)
STILL TO CHANGE
The Emergency Department (ED) is where most people go when they are first hurt and go to hospital.
The ED has different rooms with lots of equipment and staff to help your parent be looked after by nurses and checked by doctors.
If an ambulance brought your parent to hospital, they would tell the staff what happened so they can take over their care.
Lots of tests will be done.
Once more is known about the brain injury, a plan will start to be made about how to look after your parent.
In the ED, families usually feel scared and helpless.
They can have lots of questions.
There can be a lot of waiting. Lots!
Some families wait in hospital, others wait at home.
There will be long times when families do not get to see the injured parent. Doctors and other staff will come and talk to (or phone) your family when they have more information.
From the ED, your special person may need to have an operation or move to the Intensive Care Unit.
Operations
Operations (also called surgery) may happen to help your parent’s brain get better.
Surgery can take away blood that may be stuck, in and on the brain. Operations can stop extra bleeding, fix broken bones or take part of the skull away (usually for a short time) to help the brain swell safely.
People are ok without part of their skull bone in place. They must be very careful and wear a special helmet until their bone can be put back in. Bones are put back when all the swelling to the brain has gone away.
If your special person has surgery, they will have part of their hair shaved, have a big cut on their head which needs stitches (or staples) and bandages to keep their head clean and safe from germs.
Sometimes, people need to have a tube put into their skull get any extra fluid away from their brain.
After surgery, your parent will go to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to get special care.
