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Original poster

Sharing a room in hospital, help!

29 replies

Rarfy · 27/12/2018 15:45

Please someone help me to see the funny side / cope with a fairly long hospital stay on a shared ward.

I will start by firstly saying that the NHS is truely amazing, their staff are out of this world and i am being very well looked after.

Im two weeks into at least a four week stay for placenta previa. Luckily i am well as is baby but this shared ward lark is slowly driving me mad.

I'm not going to go into huge details about my neighbours they have all been lovely and friendly but seem to have no consideration whatsoever for the fact they are sharing a room.

I have people sat playing noisey shooting games on their phones. Talking loudly on their phone all day and night till after 11pm. Asking quite intrusive questions about marital status, home ownership etc amongst other things.

I am literally on edge! Anyone any top tips for getting through the next couple of weeks?

I did get my own room for a couple of nights which was an amazing experience and hopefully will happen again soon but on the off chance they can't move me back - help!

OP posts:
Firstbornunicorn · 27/12/2018 15:48

I've never been in this situation, but I'm sorry to hear you'll have such a lengthy stay.

It sounds like some decent headphones might help. Do you like audiobooks or music?

JollyAndBright · 27/12/2018 15:50

iPad/phone, headphones and binge watching box sets is what got me through it.

ElspethFlashman · 27/12/2018 15:50

Earplugs, earplugs, earplugs.

And those curtains are your friend. Every time you go to the loo, twitch them a bit more closed.

And have a word with the midwives to ask them to put in earphones when playing games. It's unacceptable in a shared room. If they have no earphones they can mute the damn thing but theres no excuse. If nothing happens, ask in an innocent voice if it would be better to contact PALS and ask for the contact number. That usually lights a fire under people.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 27/12/2018 15:51

I lasted 12 hours on a maternity ward and then demanded DH come and pick me up. It's the one part of my birthing experience that wasn't great and I wish I'd just gone home with DH and DD.

I've never known such inconsiderate people. I have no advice only huge sympathy!

Original poster
Rarfy · 27/12/2018 15:51

The TV is £7.90 per day so i have been avoiding. I do however have dp sat at home as we speak downloading things to a tablet so i can watch offline with headphones so that should help this evening.

I want to just close myself in my little bay with my curtains around me but it feels so rude! I may have to resort to that tonight though. Visitors were in until after 9pm last night and have already been here an hour or two already today so i assume it is the same every day. Great for the patient that they have company but a bit shit for the rest of us that almost have to share it i guess.

OP posts:
ElspethFlashman · 27/12/2018 15:55

Honestly? Start being ruder with those curtains. I'm a nurse and there are always patients who make a little cave inside the curtains. That's what they're for. Be one of those patients!

You will never see these people again.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 27/12/2018 15:55

It's not rude of you to close your curtains.

madvixen · 27/12/2018 15:57

Close the curtains! I had a weeks stay on a ward once and my curtains were never open. Curtains shut, headphones on - it's the only thing that kept me sane.

MissClarke86 · 27/12/2018 15:57

Oh bless you. I was in for three weeks with PP before my little girl arrived and I had my own room but I was horrifically lonely and miserable as there was nowhere for any social interaction. I wouldn’t have liked being on an open ward either though.

Count down the days until you meet your little one!

trinity0097 · 27/12/2018 15:57

As long as you’re not in a ward when you’re not allowed to close the curtains unless indecent, so that the nurses can easily see you.

Floralnomad · 27/12/2018 16:00

If they are being very noisy at unsocial hours politely ask them to be quiet and put headphones on / in if you don’t wish to have a conversation - they are not to know that you are or are not listening to anything .

Original poster
Rarfy · 27/12/2018 16:24

Thanks for the tips everyone. These arw helping me. So not rude to close curtains? It kind of feels like i am saying i dont want to interact with you and then on the morning when people don't have visitors like oh it's ok to talk now.

I'm over thinking this aren't i?

Patient experience were round this morning and asked if i thought other patients were respectful and considerate and i said no but we were all on the ward so couldn't elaborate much.

I have just had a cheeky beg for a side room again but won't be today they are all full up. Thank goodness my tablet is coming loaded up.

OP posts:
Skinandbones · 27/12/2018 16:43

So last march I was rushed in to Lincoln hospital for gallstones, how ever I was down from Leeds on holiday, my hubby and daughter had to get back up to work and beast of the east 2 was ready to strike. All ladies of all ages. A couple of days in a lady came in and a day or so later she had the screens round having a bed wash, when she suddenly screamed and said there was a man in the roof.
She was questioned and she definitely said the tile lifted up and a man looked down. She ended up with all the staff gathered round looking at the roof.
2 ambulance men decided to get some ladders and have a look, nothing there, but then there was a really strong gust of wind that lifted the bloody tile up.
You can just imagine the jokes and piss taking over the next few days until she was moved.
Made me feel a bit better about being on my own.

Original poster
Rarfy · 27/12/2018 16:52

Hahaha @Skinandbones that's so funny! Oh gosh i bet you were all paranoid for a few days.

This sounds really stupid but when i am i the bay on a night it drifts through my head that another patient could attack me. How far fetched is that lol? Those four walls and doors of my private room gave me so much protection i tell you! And yes i definitely have an over active imagination haha.

OP posts:
Maelstrop · 27/12/2018 16:52

Curtains, constantly. When I was in for two weeks, I constantly asked for the curtains to stay closed, sadly couldn't do it myself as I was immobile.

Grumpbum123 · 27/12/2018 16:57

I’ve been in a shared room recently I just had my curtains around me the whole time

Cel982 · 27/12/2018 16:58

It's fine to close the curtains. You're in hospital, you're expected to be feeling poorly/needing extra rest, etc., even if that's not strictly the case. It's not a singles holiday where you might feel obliged to mingle.

Cocolepew · 27/12/2018 17:03

Definitely close the curtains.
I just don't bother answering intrusive questions, but I don't care if people think I'm rude Grin, Im not there to entertain them .

LarkDescending · 27/12/2018 17:24

I sympathise, OP. As a private person and natural introvert I nearly went quite mad with it all when I spent 10 days in a four-person bay on a surgical ward (not maternity-related) earlier in the year. My neighbours had never-ending streams of noisy visitors at what seemed like all hours, including the supposed patient rest time over lunch which the staff tried in vain to enforce. As it was during last winter’s flu outbreak, one patient had an infectious cough on top of her other problems, but there wasn’t a side room available for her so she and her germs stayed on the bay with the rest of us and our surgical wounds.

At first I was ill enough that I wasn’t allowed to keep my curtains closed because I was meant to be easily visible from the nursing station. Then when I recovered enough to make my first trip to the bathroom, someone nicked my noise-cancelling headphones and phone charger from my bedspace!

Soon you’ll have a lovely baby in your arms and this will be a distant memory. Hang in there Flowers

user1andonly · 27/12/2018 17:27

You could always mumble something about being tired and needing a little nap if you feel you need a reason for closing the curtains.

After my hysterectomy, I could probably have benefited from another night in hospital but begged them to discharge me as I couldn't stand my roommates a minute longer. The ancient lady fast asleep in the corner was OK I suppose!

gobbin · 27/12/2018 17:43

In ‘14 I had a single room after bowel surgery and it was bliss. Door shut, peace. In ‘15 I had more bowel surgery and was on a 4 bedder with two lovely older ladies and someone who had been in a solo room but was calling and annoying the nurses so much they put her in with us. She was obviously lonely and had MH issues but ok enough to go off for a fag with her partner sneakily.

I felt sorry for her but learnt to not ‘answer’ her - she would just be coming out with stream-of-consciousness whatever shite was in her head and it was very, very wearing. I was discharged and readmitted the same night. By the time I got back on that ward a few days later I was put back in ‘my’ single room, the same one as before. I was so, so grateful.

Some people enjoy chatting when ill. I like my door shut. The curtains are there for privacy, don’t be afraid to use them. If the others are offended then tough shit, they are dull for taking offence at something that is nobody’s business but yours.

Reastie · 27/12/2018 17:45

Noise hancelling head phones and ear plugs coupled with eye mask to shut out the light if needed and close those curtains. Sounds awful op, I sympathise.

BringOnTheScience · 27/12/2018 18:31

Ahhh ... memories of the family with teens lads who had farting and belching contests while I had had pre-eclampsia.... until I lost my rag with them at 10.30pm!

Close curtains
Big headphones as an alternative visible barrier
Ear plugs

And YY to asking a midwife to ask them to turn it down / use heafphones / stick to visitor numbers & times.

Original poster
Rarfy · 27/12/2018 18:55

Hahaha well that is such a relief to hear the curtains thing is perfectly acceptable. I will start relying on them a bit more.

God the first few days i had a belcher next to me it turned my stomache. Used to belch and watch stuff on her tablet full blast no headphones. Seems to the the same bed thats gets the nuisance patients.

The next lady was lovely but there was a definite language barrier. Also very religious so spent a lot of time singing religious songs to herself and the rest of the time loudly on the phone to family. Then that person changed to the current one who again is lovely but similar sorts of disregard to others.

I have my tablet and headphones for tonight woohoo. Will be on the ctg monitor after shift change and will use this as an excuse to close the curtains and senction myself off.

I have a cougher too which cant be helped i know but omg. My contribution to ward annoyances - i snore sadly!

OP posts:
AuditAngel · 27/12/2018 19:06

I feel your pain. I suffered with PP with DC2 and again with DC3.

AFter 10 days on a 4 bedded ward I had a meltdown, and moved to a single room the following day. I was also in for 4 weeks, with DC3 I had 6 admissions totalling 6 weeks. I paid for the tv, but was £5 then.

Headphones

Consider upping the data on your phone and use to tether your tablet