Emily* was studying for a career in health and social care, when she was hit by a car and sustained multiple injuries, including many fractured bones and lacerations across her body, internal bleeding and a potential head injury.
Challenges
Despite being moved from her original treating hospital to another so that Emily could access rehabilitation, her injuries were still so severe that she was unable to weight bear and therefore couldn’t engage in the rehabilitation offered. A lack of communication from Emily’s treating team led to frustrations from her family and they were unsure what was happening and why, and whether Emily was accessing the most appropriate treatment.
How we helped
After speaking with CFG, our rehabilitation and support coordinator, Mary Whittle, began supporting the family and to find out what was happening.
- Mary immediately liaised with Emily’s clinical team, including her physiotherapist and occupational therapist to get an update as to what was happening and to explain this to the family.
- Emily was worried about how her injuries were going to impact her studies and her chosen career path. Mary contacted the college where Emily was studying to explain what had happened and to enable Emily to defer her studies for a year to allow her time to concentrate on her recovery. Emily’s parents were grateful for this input, as it was one less thing for them to think about and they could concentrate their efforts on supporting Emily.
- Another concern for the family was how Emily would manage once she was discharged home from the hospital. Mary spoke with Emily’s physiotherapist on behalf of the family to share their concerns. The physiotherapist confirmed that before Emily was sent home, an assessment would be made with a home visit to make sure Emily was safe. This input reassured the family and Emily’s discharge home went smoothly.
*not her real name
