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Original poster

Waiting for an operation in a waiting room...is this normal?

46 replies

richyclit · 13/09/2024 11:48

So I had an operation and I was told to get in for 7am.
They took me in a room and gave me gown and socks
Then took me in a waiting room with 8 other people (all getting operations ) and we all sat there in our gowns on rock hard chairs.
There was a small tv in the corner.
I was last and sat there for 6 hours till 1pm

Is this normal ?
I thought you would be on a little ward.
When I woke up I was on a 6 bed ward for a hour before I was allowed home.
Wouldn't it make more sense just to let everyone sit on the bed rather than a waiting room.

OP posts:
Tdcp · 13/09/2024 11:51

If it's a minor operation (which it sounds like it is due to being home in an hour after?) it's probably a case they don't have enough beds to cater to everyone waiting, they seem to have a high turnover of people. It's not really right that you were waiting for 6 hours in a gown though, I haven't experienced that personally.

Original poster
richyclit · 13/09/2024 11:52

It was a laparoscopy for endo
There were people there who were having leg surgery etc but I assume all day cases

OP posts:
Humdrumdumb · 13/09/2024 11:54

Normal for day case operations that I’ve had. Also, if you are expecting to be in and out in a day, expect to be ushered out of bed very quickly after you come round. The last time I was in, they did this to me and, in spite of my known bad reaction to general anaesthetics, had me sitting in a waiting room with extremely low blood pressure that they then had to whip me into a side room to sort out.

I hope it all goes ok for you.

Edit: Apologies, didn’t read the thread properly. Yes, pretty normal.

FunLurker · 13/09/2024 11:55

It's due to the people we using the beds so you had to wait for them to be discharged before your procedure could be done. Unfortunately theirs not enough beds. The reason your required to get changed is so your ready. If a easy case you often get slotted in between other cases. Doesn't mean your care is affected. Hope your ok

Original poster
richyclit · 13/09/2024 11:57

I was a morning case tho so there was nobody on these wards as they were day case wards
We walked past them to the waiting room and they were all empty
I think the worst part was how many hours trying not to flash in my robe ha ha

OP posts:
sunsu · 13/09/2024 11:58

When I had my lap for Endo, I was in a bay on a ward waiting with the other patients that were also waiting. So we had a bed and a chair next to us for any family that came. I don’t think I’d have liked to have been sat in a hard chair that long in a gown. It was only when I moved to theatre did I have to sit in a waiting area but that was only for a few minutes after signing some paperwork and before being taken into the wee room before the operating room where I was anaesthetised.

edited to add that I was an afternoon case so I didn’t have to arrive til 11am.

InfoSecInTheCity · 13/09/2024 11:59

That's how it was when I had eye surgery too, what was a bit weird is that most people in the waiting room were having cataract removal or laser eye so in their own clothes. I was having keyhole surgery to reattach my retina so in a gown and compression stockings, which felt a little exposing.

ForPearlViper · 13/09/2024 12:01

I had to wait in a waiting room for an operation but it wasn't for long. I wonder if it was because they had to deal with some sort of emergency - but if so you should really have been told. I think the recovery ward will have lots of others being brought in after day surgery until they are ready to go home so the beds will be occupied most of the day. For my procedure, you might have had to stay there overnight if you needed a drain in the wound.

I had to go a couple of times for steroid injections in my feet. On those occasions, you had to pitch up at the crack of dawn whatever time of day your treatment would be and occupied a ward bed until then. You also had to be wheelchaired to the treatment room - fair enough being wheelchaired back.

It did feel like a waste of resources for a 10 minute local anaesthetic treatment that required no preparation such as fasting.

tealpassat · 13/09/2024 12:02

It's normal but I was in your position and got changed back into my clothes. The robe police can shout at me if they liked but I was freeeezing and uncomfortable so when it was my turn I quick change back.

Three other people did the same! I feel we all get a bit sheep like in hospitals.

Also hope you are ok, I also have endometriosis and had my wide excision surgery 3 years ago! Don't let the NHS zap you with ablation, (lasers) it's the lower end of surgery choices and also check your surgeons full qualifications before agreeing to their treatment. - do some reading 🥰

Spomb · 13/09/2024 12:04

Yes very normal for minor surgery. I’ve always been in a waiting room for minor surgery. I think I would be annoyed if people were sent to beds on a ward when they didn’t need to be, seems a huge waste of beds in the current situation!

nocoolnamesleft · 13/09/2024 12:04

When I had a couple of operations, for which I needed to stay overnight afterwards, I was waiting in a waiting room beforehand. I would assume that 1)it's more efficient to have the patient there ready, 2)my actual bed wasn't free yet. Really wasn't a problem.

arethereanyleftatall · 13/09/2024 12:04

My ex is a dentist and they would book 10 patients in for 9am.

Shit in one way for the patients, especially the one who was last...but in a way good for patients overall, as it was their best way of getting as many patients as possible seen.

spikeandbuffy · 13/09/2024 12:06

Normal, they did this before my spinal op

soundsys · 13/09/2024 12:06

Yep normal I'm afraid as not enough beds

Original poster
richyclit · 13/09/2024 12:06

@tealpassat they have been a nightmare tbh
They found endo on my womb but didn't remove it.
They have discharged me and offered me the pill.
Not going through it all again so refused the pill and will just put up with all the best symptoms
Hope your okay
It's horrible isn't it

OP posts:
soundsys · 13/09/2024 12:07

In my experience I also got a big blanket so wrapped myself in that so I wasn't flashing anyone!

Meadowfinch · 13/09/2024 12:10

Yes, normal. I had an ovary removed earlier this year, exactly the same waiting room process. In for 7am. Maybe 25 ladies waiting for gynae ops.

I was lucky that I was first, went into a prep room, where team were getting ready. Checked my Id and allergies, hopped up on trolley, given anaesthetic. Came round in ward a couple of hours later. Discharged at 4pm.

Baseline14 · 13/09/2024 12:10

If its a day case you would generally be fit and well enough to tolerate the operation and get out that day so you wouldn't normally be lying in a bed all day. You hadn't had the operation yet so can't see why you would need a bed pre op? I can appreciate the feeling of being exposed but if the gowns are tied correctly they cover all of most people. Perhaps good to feedback to them that they should maybe advise people bring in a dressing gown? Might be dodgy on infection control grounds though.

Original poster
richyclit · 13/09/2024 12:13

The recovery wards were empty as we walked past them
So I thought it would make more sense to give people privacy rather than sitting on a rock hard chair in a gown for hours.
I could understand if we were afternoon and morning people were still in the wards but that wasn't the case.

OP posts:
Original poster
richyclit · 13/09/2024 12:13

All cramped together
People nervous about the operation and it was overwhelming for me
Having anxiety doesn't help either

OP posts:
TheDogsMother · 13/09/2024 12:16

I waited for a hysterectomy in exactly the same set up. I was asked to arrive at 7am and it was cancelled at 3pm. Starving I was !

Original poster
richyclit · 13/09/2024 12:21

@TheDogsMother oh god that's awful
Yeah I was starving too and really thirsty
They gave me toast when I woke up
It was the nicest bit of toast ever ha ha

OP posts:
Moomin37 · 13/09/2024 12:22

Six hours in a gown on a hard seat sounds a bit rubbish. I hope it went OK. When I had a lap and dye and hysteroscopy years ago I waited in a gown for hours but had a bed / cubicle. I guess the NHS is struggling more than ever and doesn't have the bed space.

TheDogsMother · 13/09/2024 12:23

@richyclit I did finally get it done a week later, privately. Lovely room and the first thing they did was take my sandwich order. It was the nicest sandwich ever 🤣🤣

Tomorrowisyesterday · 13/09/2024 12:25

I had a wait like that for a c section. The chairs certainly weren't comfy for someone who was 9 months pregnant, and since I was fasting I felt dizzy and unpleasant (obviously it was worth the wait, and at least my dh could be with me).

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