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AIBU?

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To think this nurse shouldn't have laughed / scoffed at me for asking for a room?

306 replies

supertrainers · 25/06/2024 18:20

Last night at 3 am I had to take my DD to a and e as she was struggling with her breathing.

Unfortunately this coincided with me having been up all night already vomiting. Second night in a row. It's not a stomach bug, before anyone says I shouldn't have taken my child to the hospital.

I was feeling absolutely rotten. Two nights of no sleep, worry for my DD. Pain, nausea. Everything.

I'm familiar with the hospital as I have found myself many times in there with one of my children in the middle of the night.

Most of the time, we get offered a room, once we've been triaged. Not always, but more often than not. The room has a bed in it and we just stay in there and the doctors come in and out.

I said to the triage nurse last night that I was also feeling extremely unwell and are there any rooms we could possibly wait in. I said I'm sorry for asking and I wouldn't ask unless I really needed to.

She did a scoff / laugh at me for even asking. 9 times out of 10 we have a room and you scoff at me ? I was taken aback by it and in my horrible state for her to just laugh / scoff at me was super rude. I told her, I understand but I really don't appreciate you laughing at me for even asking. I'm really unwell and I wouldn't ask you. It's not very nice that you laughed.

She denied laughing at me. I left it at that and went and sat on the plastic chairs for 6 hours.

OP posts:
HMW1906 · 25/06/2024 20:10

Seagrassbasket · 25/06/2024 18:52

I’m actually really surprised at the replies here. I was appalled last time I went to A&E and had to sit in the waiting room for hours. It used to be you got called through and waited in a cubicle. We shouldn’t be accepting this.

And no OP she shouldn’t have scoffed but as others have said it might not have been really aimed at you.

I work in an A&E. I was working today. At one point today we had 48 patients waiting to be seen…we have 20 cubicles….most of which had patients in who had been seen but were waiting for a bed on the ward. Generally if you’re able to stand/walk you’re not getting a cubicle. Having said that I have been an A&E nurse long enough that I remember the times when the majority of patients did get a cubicle to wait in unfortunately the numbers of people we get visiting A&E these days means that’s no longer a possibility.

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:10

ReallyNotTheBestDayEver · 25/06/2024 20:08

@Runnerinthenight or entitlement

What "entitlement"?

I'm taking the OP on face value with no other information available. Poster says she has had the use of a room in 9/10 times. While I'm surprised, there's nothing to suggest she's making it up?

DragonGypsyDoris · 25/06/2024 20:10

Private rooms in A & E, and available 9 out of 10 times? That is laughable. Are you in the UK? Is this a dream?

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:09

Saffrony · 25/06/2024 20:07

Dont be ridiculous.

Don't be so rude.

ReallyNotTheBestDayEver · 25/06/2024 20:08

@Runnerinthenight or entitlement

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:08

MumChp · 25/06/2024 20:06

NHS? A/E? Sure.

24/365? Right.

TG I only have ever had to take a child to A&E twice, out of my three, and it was the same one both times. They're all grown up now.

MumChp · 25/06/2024 20:08

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:06

I'm sure they are, but it doesn't excuse rudeness.

No. But try 7 in a row and you might be a bit more understanding.

HelloJillll · 25/06/2024 20:07

She’s a nurse. It’s not customer service.

You sound entitled whether you mean to or not.

Saffrony · 25/06/2024 20:07

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:05

Doesn't mean it was full - could have been short-staffed?

Dont be ridiculous.

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:06

MumChp · 25/06/2024 20:05

Of course - but sh*t happens at 3 am. None asks for a nurse nightshift at A/E. They are exhausting.

I'm sure they are, but it doesn't excuse rudeness.

MumChp · 25/06/2024 20:06

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:05

Could have been quiet that hour of the night? We don't know?

I don't think a polite request needed to be met with derision?

NHS? A/E? Sure.

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:05

Saffrony · 25/06/2024 20:04

She had a 6 hour wait. It was clearly under huge pressure.

Doesn't mean it was full - could have been short-staffed?

MumChp · 25/06/2024 20:05

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:02

How do you know the waiting room was "bursting at the seems" [sic]??

She asked if there was one free - the word "no" would have sufficed without any facial gesture.

Of course - but sh*t happens at 3 am. None asks for a nurse nightshift at A/E. They are exhausting.

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:05

MumChp · 25/06/2024 19:58

@Runnerinthenight

Every patient in A/E wants a room...

Could have been quiet that hour of the night? We don't know?

I don't think a polite request needed to be met with derision?

Saffrony · 25/06/2024 20:04

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:02

How do you know the waiting room was "bursting at the seems" [sic]??

She asked if there was one free - the word "no" would have sufficed without any facial gesture.

She had a 6 hour wait. It was clearly under huge pressure.

OneTC · 25/06/2024 20:04

No harm in asking we always do when I have to go in with my mum. She will disturb everyone on the ward once she starts trying to escape.

When you're sick though you're not having your best day and it can make interactions feel more prickly, it's possible she was laughing in a resigned (at the situation) way rather than in a scoffing at you way.

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:03

Londonrach1 · 25/06/2024 20:01

Sorry but you shouldn't have gone into a&e being sick. Could family member etc taken dc. I know not perfect but as someone dealing with very vulnerable Patients I'm shocked. Side rooms given those most sick and your dc the patient not you. Slightly worried how many people you passed the sickness on too.

Didn't you read the OP?

"Unfortunately this coincided with me having been up all night already vomiting. Second night in a row. It's not a stomach bug, before anyone says I shouldn't have taken my child to the hospital".

HollyKnight · 25/06/2024 20:03

It doesn't sound like she was laughing at you, but rather at the idea of there being a spare room available. They would have offered you one if there had been one available, like on other occasions. She shouldn't have scoffed, but she might not even have realised she'd done it. It wasn't personal.

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 20:02

Saffrony · 25/06/2024 19:58

Asking for 1 of a tiny number of rooms when a waiting list is bursting at the seems is asking for priority.

How do you know the waiting room was "bursting at the seems" [sic]??

She asked if there was one free - the word "no" would have sufficed without any facial gesture.

Londonrach1 · 25/06/2024 20:01

Sorry but you shouldn't have gone into a&e being sick. Could family member etc taken dc. I know not perfect but as someone dealing with very vulnerable Patients I'm shocked. Side rooms given those most sick and your dc the patient not you. Slightly worried how many people you passed the sickness on too.

Saffrony · 25/06/2024 19:59

TheIranianYoghurtIsNotTheIssueHere · 25/06/2024 19:57

When I was in A&E very recently, a family were told the only way their relative was going to get a room was if he died. The system is broken.

No it isn’t. We are getting treatment. The child got her obs. Patients in A&E by and large don’t need private rooms.

MotherOfDragon20 · 25/06/2024 19:58

MotherOfDragon20 · 25/06/2024 19:42

Really? Why not? A decade you wouldn’t have seen people being put into cupboards with them being made into make shift cubicles, you do now, every single available space is used and yes that does mean people in inappropriate departments and wards because THERE IS NO OTHER SPACE. My best friend had to catheterise an elderly gentleman in urinary retention (a painful medical emergency) in the corner of the waiting room while her colleagues held a bed sheet round them for privacy as there literally wasn’t a single other available space. This is the real situation facing patients and staff. She was devastated at having to do this but there literally wasn’t any other option. So it actually wouldn’t surprise me at all if 80 year olds are in children’s EDs

And just to add if a relative had asked her for a private room that night because they didn’t feel well (who does in A&E) no I don’t think she would have laughed and scoffed which was unprofessional but I think she would have rolled her eyes (privately) at the naivety of the a large portion of the public who just aren’t getting it.

MumChp · 25/06/2024 19:58

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 19:57

I don't get the impression the OP was asking for priority?

@Runnerinthenight

Every patient in A/E wants a room...

Saffrony · 25/06/2024 19:58

Runnerinthenight · 25/06/2024 19:57

I don't get the impression the OP was asking for priority?

Asking for 1 of a tiny number of rooms when a waiting list is bursting at the seems is asking for priority.

TheIranianYoghurtIsNotTheIssueHere · 25/06/2024 19:57

When I was in A&E very recently, a family were told the only way their relative was going to get a room was if he died. The system is broken.

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