CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SCHOOLS AS SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS: A TURKISH EXAMPLE

Abstract

The aim of this study is to find out whether socialization related to the healing process in a hospital school has positive effects on the well-being of children. Every day, many children receive treatments in children's hospitals and some need to stay there for extended periods of time. Consequently, many child patients are not able to go to their schools and this may lead to their becoming unsocial as well as their staying behind from their classmates. Some children's hospitals have hospital schools in which children can receive education and socialize. A qualitative participatory design process was developed through a combined methodology of descriptive case study area analysis, direct observation, questionnaire, drawing, and interview. Children who received education from the school with different ages and illnesses, and teachers participated in this study. Their participation as active users was key, as children seldom have a say in the healthcare environments they inhabit. It was found, hospital schools have many benefits for children, like making them feel more positive, improving their morale, supporting their education and distracting them from the negative effects of illness and being in hospital. Socialization was found to have positive effects on children's healing and well-being like, being together with other children, playing, studying and sharing ideas. Therefore, hospital schools are environments for children that may support well-being and healing by various means of socialization with other children and teachers. Listening to the opinions of children in the children's hospital school has several advantages in providing feedback related to both practical and ethical issues within a hospital school setting. The study aims to be useful for designers of healthcare environments as well as hospital school decision makers.