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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

That being watched in hospital makes me feel uneasy

84 replies

Turnthebloodyheatdowninhospital · 11/04/2025 23:13

Names changed inspired by the fact I am in hospital and they need to turn the bloody heat down. I nearly cried when the women next to the window closed it- Anyway

I am on the nicest quietest ward I have ever been on (heat aside) but I am in for a week so the seizures I have can be monitored. I am hooked up to a portable eeg so have these wires stuck on my head (not very comfy).
however the thing that is strange that in our bay there is nurse basically watching over us all the time. So she is sat there all night and keep looking from one of us to the other.

one the plus side everyone is lovely and quiet and no one is pretending they are a duck (last time I was in on another ward). No one is talking on loud speaker, the 2 ladies opposite me have headphones in watching something. The lady next to me is reading quietly (after handing out earplugs as she snores- bless her)

so all good. It’s quiet, it’s dark but having someone watching me is making me feel really weird. And I don’t feel I can sleep Would anyone else feel the same

OP posts:
MsAmerica · 13/04/2025 00:19

All over the world, people are desperately complaining about inadequate medical care - and you're complaining because your care is conscientious?

utterexasperation · 13/04/2025 00:14

I assume it's a neuro ward? The first night I was admitted they woke me up every 15 mins to ask me questions. It's procedure I imagine.

Hwi · 12/04/2025 23:52

Standard procedure, for everybody's safety. Not designed to upset you. Try to think positively - they care about it.

katepilar · 12/04/2025 23:20

I would absolutely hate that. And would likely develop an anxiety attack.

Original poster
Turnthebloodyheatdowninhospital · 12/04/2025 23:03

See my new thread. Being watched is the least of my worries now

OP posts:
Melbourne55 · 12/04/2025 23:02

The judgemental comments are obviously from people who haven’t been in the same situation OP, ignore them.

You’re not being ungrateful or over dramatic and I can definitely see where you’re coming from. Although it’s for your own good and it’s encouraging to hear that you’re being well looked after having no privacy or space of your own is really tough. I’m a HCP and will freely admit that even I’ve struggled being in the ward environment whilst an inpatient!

Itchybritches · 12/04/2025 22:59

Sorry you’re in hospital OP. I’d be more concerned if the nurse wasn’t monitoring me!

pimplebum · 12/04/2025 22:58

Gosh people have been snippy and mean towards you haven’t they ! Yes I’d feel very self conscious

I spent 3 weeks in with my toddler , I went loopy with lack of sleep - heat , noise snoring. Horrific and I didn’t have probes in my head !

you poor thing, hope you are home soon and can fart freely !

Toddlerteaplease · 12/04/2025 22:55

Darkclothes · 11/04/2025 23:22

You are in a hospital where the windows can actually be opened? Where is that???

I'm sorry you are in hospital. Considering the windows still open and they don't have a camera monitoring you, I assume its an older style ward where a nurse physically needs to sit in your bay, watching you? If you are hot, ask for a fan, but its not a guarantee they will have one, its PAT tested etc etc.

My hospital has windows that open. It’s either boiling hot or freezing cold though, with go inbeween.

CheeseAndHamToastieAndCrisps · 12/04/2025 22:51

If the curtains were pulled round the nurse wouldn’t be able to see the patients which would defeat the point of her sitting there.

Fabulosia · 12/04/2025 22:51

I was hospitalised as an emergency recently. I was feeling dreadful, on morphine , Due to being furthest away from nurses station and other patients having curtains drawn, I was not visible to staff. A male visiting the female patient opposite me had stayed on after visiting time had finished. He was a metre from my bed and staring at me. Twice I went to the nurses station and showed them a note I’d written on my iPhone explaining this was happening and I felt unsafe. The staff shrugged and did nothing . I’d have LOVED to have had a staff member keeping an eye on me

PoppyViolet1 · 12/04/2025 22:49

Ignore the sarcastic/rude replies, I totally get what you’re saying. I go into hospital for day admissions and our ward has a nurse sit in, it feels weird when I’m awake, I don’t know how easily I’d sleep. Can you ask for your curtains to be pulled round?

TicklishMintDuck · 12/04/2025 22:43

I understand that it feels a little weird, but it’s great that they are paying close attention and keeping you safe. ♥️

GlomOfNit · 12/04/2025 22:42

Sounds like you're on an observation ward, and there'll be a good reason for that, so please just try to ignore the 'watching' and relax?

CraftyGin · 12/04/2025 22:39

If you don't feel you can speak to the nurse, have a word with the chaplain or ward visitor.

JorgyPorgy · 12/04/2025 22:37

Either ask nurse for window to be kept open and / or request a fan / get one brought from home

Kirbert2 · 12/04/2025 22:33

When my son was in PICU, he had 2:1 care and then when his condition improved, he had 1:2 care. It felt so strange having someone be in our space constantly but if you are there for a good while, you do adjust to it and it becomes your new normal.

When he moved to the ward, it felt strange NOT having someone there all of the time. 😂

TheArcher · 12/04/2025 22:33

There’s some right dickheads on here tonight.

OP I completely get it, I would feel weird too and very self conscious.

Anonym00se · 12/04/2025 22:30

Good god, the heat! Why are hospitals always so unbearably hot? I swear if they turned the thermostat down five degrees to a more comfortable temperature it would save the NHS about £3B a year. Hope you’re well and back home soon.

Ramblingaway · 12/04/2025 22:27

After a night on a mixed ward, where no one was watching and a male heroin user climbed up my bed to demand a lighter so he could warm up more heroin, I quite like a watched ward bay!

Dramatic · 12/04/2025 22:27

Pussycat22 · 12/04/2025 22:16

You can't. You're not the only patient there and she is a professional doing her job. Ridiculous.

Show quote history

What are you reading, she said she's NOT going to order her to go away 🤦

Dramatic · 12/04/2025 22:26

Turnthebloodyheatdowninhospital · 11/04/2025 23:20

Did I say I was not grateful? I just said it made me feel strange and wondered if anyone else could relate.

Totally get where you're coming from, of course it's uncomfortable having someone watching you while you try and get some sleep. You're not weird to feel that way

Motherofwildlings · 12/04/2025 22:24

Turnthebloodyheatdowninhospital · 11/04/2025 23:13

Names changed inspired by the fact I am in hospital and they need to turn the bloody heat down. I nearly cried when the women next to the window closed it- Anyway

I am on the nicest quietest ward I have ever been on (heat aside) but I am in for a week so the seizures I have can be monitored. I am hooked up to a portable eeg so have these wires stuck on my head (not very comfy).
however the thing that is strange that in our bay there is nurse basically watching over us all the time. So she is sat there all night and keep looking from one of us to the other.

one the plus side everyone is lovely and quiet and no one is pretending they are a duck (last time I was in on another ward). No one is talking on loud speaker, the 2 ladies opposite me have headphones in watching something. The lady next to me is reading quietly (after handing out earplugs as she snores- bless her)

so all good. It’s quiet, it’s dark but having someone watching me is making me feel really weird. And I don’t feel I can sleep Would anyone else feel the same

I really don’t get the aggy comments here 🥴 it’s perfectly justifiable that you feel weird, I don’t know anyone that would want someone watching them whilst they are trying to sleep! Are you able to turn on your side at all? Perhaps adjust the pillows to support your neck and turn your head away from the nurse if you can’t physically lay on your side. And when you next get visitors ask them to bring you an eye/sleep mask :) hope you feel better soon. Xx

MummyPig21 · 12/04/2025 22:18

When my mum was in a ward someone would sit in during the night. When she had her own room they would sit outside the window.

ask for a fan if you’re struggling with the heat. Or ask to swap beds with the lady next to the window.

Itsoneofthose · 12/04/2025 22:17

Yes it is weird, and normal to feel uneasy. But it must be necessary for the study.