“The joy was infectious” - nurse praises iPads donated to help patients connect with families
Emily Huntingford, critical care nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, on seeing a patient use an iPad, donated by Barts Charity, to speak to his family while being treated for coronavirus.
“Last week, I had the immense pleasure of assisting a patient’s video call with his family using one of the new iPads.
“I was worried about his resilience after a busy morning of physio, speech and language therapy and the medical ward round.
“I gently encouraged him to ‘try another half-hour sitting out’, but I needn’t have been so cautious!
“Seeing the delight on his face at the sight of his son’s face made him come alive.
“As more and more faces appeared on the screen with happy greetings, the exclamations of joy and affection were infectious.
“The patient was able to meaningfully connect with his family, brightening him up.
“The impact was clear – I had spoon fed him his breakfast that morning due to the weakness in his arms, but he was able to support the iPad in his own grip for the entire two-hour call.
“After the call, he had a renewed grit and determination, insisting he sat out of bed again for dinner.
“As I was leaving the hospital at the end of my shift, I saw a colleague bringing the patient a parcel which included his wife’s home cooked food and some nightwear.
“I don’t believe that any action from myself, doctors, or physios could have encouraged him in this way.
“I wanted to share this reflection as a note of thanks for the kind donation of iPads to St Bartholomew’s Hospital.”
Find out more about the donations on the Barts Charity website here.