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AIBU?

To think that hospital waiting rooms are not your own house

47 replies

Sparklycurtainpole · 29/04/2017 22:35

About to lose the will to live.
Currently on a paediatric assessment unit at our local hospital after being referred from our local urgent care centre. Baby is poorly and I'm here alone whilst DP is at home with our other two little ones.
Place is fairly busy, staff are being absolutely lovely but one family in the unit are driving me slowly round the bend.
Child of theirs is about 2.5 and busily trashing the place. So far has weed on the floor (after parent removed their nappy and let them run around - parent was laughing and tbought it was hysterical child had weed all over the place.
There are five adults waiting with one child and they've spread themselves far and wide across the unit. Every area, surface, seating etc has some of their discarded belongings on it - snacks, phones, coats, nappy bags, an entire picnic, toys etc.
They're constantly going on in very loud voices about how useless the staff are and are huffing and puffing about every aspect of their care. I feel I know the child's entire medical history as the parents and grandparents feel as if they have to discuss everything at top volume across the large area and are regaling each other with tales of how 'shit' the nhs is.
They've raided the ward kitchen for the child and have left almost a dozen different various sandwiches, snacks and drinks discarded after one bite all over the area or have just offered the child something then eaten it all themselves despite signs everywhere saying food is for patients and breastfeeding mothers only.
The racket from them is intimidating, unnecessary and also extremely annoying.
Whilst we're all waiting for beds, trying to settle tired and poorly babies and small children this family are treating the whole area as if they're at home and the rest of us patients are invisible.
They're constantly looking around to see if anyone is listening to their nonsense and trying to engage everyone in their mission to slag off the perceived poor care they're receiving.
They're also constantly watching films on their devices on top volume.
I've just managed to get my poorly baby off to sleep and now they're crashing around and carrying on like they're in the middle of their lounge.
I'm tired, I'm upset, I'm worried about my baby and I just don't get why some people always need an audience.
The staff have tried to ask them to keep it down so the other children and parents can get some peace but no sooner have the staff left the area than they start it all up again.

OP posts:
JimWithTwoNoses · 29/04/2017 22:39

What idiots. That's awful behaviour. Could you ask if there is anywhere else you can wait, or have you tried that?
I hope your baby is ok, must be very stressful and tiring without the additional irritations. Some people are just idiots aren't they Cake Brew

sausagedogrolls · 29/04/2017 22:48

I would ask if there was somewhere else I could wait.

Of course, the NHS would be much better run if they were in charge... Confused

MichaelSheensNextDW · 29/04/2017 22:49

Suggest to the staff that security tells everyone except the child's parents to leave.

Binglesplodge · 29/04/2017 23:01

Sympathy, OP. Hope you and your baby are seen soon and can get comfortable somewhere far away from the idiots.

I think every hospital waiting room comes equipped with a family who spread themselves out and don't ask their kids to play considerately. It's hell. The loud voices. The phone calls to the rest of the bloody family. I've had the dad of a family nudge his teenage son when I breastfed my poorly toddler. Gross.

Wishing you a calm night.

Jakeyboy1 · 29/04/2017 23:05

I find it odd that some people treat a hospital visit as a day out for the entire extended family, but they are always there. Hope it gets better for you.

User2468 · 29/04/2017 23:09

Have a quiet word with a member of staff, I'm sure they are as fed up as you are but they may not realise how hard you are finding it to cope with a poorly baby and the family from hell.

Good luck xx

maisybobbins · 29/04/2017 23:14

Hope you get admitted / discharged asap OP so you get away from patients from hell. Really should be parents only. And completely gross they let toddler run around ward without nappy. Ughghghgg.

UrsulaPandress · 29/04/2017 23:15

I'd lose my rag probably.

Hope your baby is ok.

Raggydolly3 · 29/04/2017 23:15

Why do people have to bring the family for one kid.
I was in A & E once and there was a kid who seemed actually fine running around (but I do know you can't always tell) with mum, dad, brother, sister and both sets of grandparents. They took up the whole waiting around and then all tried to squeeze in with the triage nurse

MusicToMyEars800 · 29/04/2017 23:19

if the NHS is so awful, then why are they there?! Angry I don't know how you've kept your cool, I think I would've lost my shit by now.

ListenToYourHeart · 29/04/2017 23:19

Sounds a nightmare OP, is there no security or porters who you could ask to step in and tell them to leave/quieten down.

Hope your baby is ok and you get a bed soon x

elliejjtiny · 29/04/2017 23:21

I've been in hospital numerous times with my dc and there always seems to be a family like this there. Hope you get some peace soon.

user1493453415 · 29/04/2017 23:26

Are you in an area with beds?

Because it's normally two people max to each bed. Ask for this to be enforced so you can get some peace.

leccybill · 29/04/2017 23:27

God, I absolutely hate inconsiderate folk like this and they seem to be everywhere in society.
I'd be raging, especially as you're tired and anxious yourself.

Wishing you a peaceful night and I hope their relatives give up and go home. Brew

MuncheysMummy · 29/04/2017 23:36

The staff need to go to them and say right only the parents may stay everyone else needs to leave NOW or security will be called,as we have poorly babies who need peace and quiet to sleep. If they won't you need to go over and say please,please be quiet I'm ever so worried about my little one who's just managed to nod off to sleep.

Starlight2345 · 29/04/2017 23:39

Hope your baby is on the mend soon and the relatives are kicked out.

user1493453415 · 29/04/2017 23:42

Hope your baby is Ok and feeling better soon (sorry I didn't post that with my initial post, how rude).

ClearlyUnlikeable · 29/04/2017 23:48

Urgh, I hate that kind of dominant, taking-over, entitled behaviour! Unfortunately there are a lot of people who think the whole fucking world revolves around them and don't give a single drop of consideration to anyone else.

I would speak to the nurses and insist that everyone except the child's parents are asked to leave!

Hope your baby soon feels better xx

Travelledtheworld · 29/04/2017 23:51

I sympathise. I was waiting for an X ray with my DD in casualty and there was a family of SEVEN crashing around, thumping the vending machines, shouting at each other. This included the kid who was supposed to be ill enough to require a trip to A&E !

Hope your baby is better soon OP.

Blowingthroughthejasmineinmymi · 29/04/2017 23:51

Agree op someone needs to to tell them all to go bar parents, it's not fair on you or other people who come on and need to use the space. I hope your baby is ok.

springflowers11 · 29/04/2017 23:54

maybe they think if they are obnoxious enough the staff will admit their child quicker just to get them out of there

SiouxieQ · 29/04/2017 23:55

Get well soon to your baby, I honestly despair of some members of our society they sound like the type of cretins that frequent Jeremy Vile. Ask to be moved away from them since the hospital seem so powerless to stop them. Disgusting cretins, what chance do there children have when they're being dragged up by cretins?

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SiouxieQ · 29/04/2017 23:55

Their

Nonibaloni · 30/04/2017 00:06

This is the last thing you need. If you are relaxed enough to be looking for snacks you don't need to be waiting for a bed in hospital.

I remember have a baby less than a month old in the sick kids. I was such a mess I wet myself, the staff were amazing and basically nursed me too. There was a woman there demanding her son see a dr in time to get out for football practise.

I have nothing to say to help, except you'll get the help you need and never have to see that family again.

OffRoader · 30/04/2017 00:10

I'll never understand why people turn up with their whole family. I'll never forget waiting in Children's a&e and a family walked in, both parents/ grandparents, an auntie and two additional children. They sat down and the grandmother took out a tubberware box of sandwiches Confused and of cause they all had to go into the triage room with the nurse. It's truly bizarre.

I hope your little one is doing ok OP.

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