Help me make sense please

[Wasitalwaysgoingtobelikethis]

I haven’t slept in 3 nights now so I may be delirious. But my child (7M) has been in a ward since Friday of a London hospital’s in patient paediatrics department. He has been put in a ward with teenagers who are up until 3am / 4am everyday playing their mobile phones loud. I would say they are 16+
the ward next door is empty. Not a soul in sight. Tonight I lost the plot and asked the nurse what is the thought process behind their set up and she just told me that she can’t move us. I get it. But what is the thought process behind this.

Nursing ratios. They can’t use staff to cover a ward with one person in it if they don’t have to, patients are cohorted together to make it easier for staff to be able to care for them.

I don’t know the answer but it is absolutely ridiculous. Your son should get the care he needs and that’s not being with older teenagers who sound disruptive and frankly disrespectful. The nurses should be telling them phones off! Any chance you can ask for a private room? Can you stay overnight with him?

I am staying overnight with him as he is 7 and I can’t and won’t leave him alone here.

@PortSalutPleaseok thank you for letting me know.

When I was on a ward with toddler DD, there were teenagers there - but it was 15 years ago, so fewer smart phones.
9pm would be quiet time - the lights were dimmed, and patients encouraged to turn TVs off/down - does that not happen now?
The nurses should ask them to be quiet at night - at least silence their phones/use headphones. Rest is hugely important in hospital - should be promoted by the nurses.

Advocate for him, sleep his necessary to his recovery and wellbeing. The nurses need to ask others to keep the volumes down. Tell them you'll be speaking to PALs otherwise as your child isn't being allowed to rest and recover.

When I asked the nurses they seemed to empathise more for the teenagers. This was around midnight. The teenager next to me and his mum decided that it was time to watch a show that makes you laugh out loud at around 1am. Eating crisps and just having a good time.

Tbf the teenagers mum is probably just as anxious as you are about her child's health ,but they should be considerate of other patients
It's difficult to sleep in hospital anyway
My son was admitted to critical care when he was 16 ,they put him on an adults ward ,but they allowed me to stay with him for the first six nights in view of his age and he was still at school in year 11
I binge watched all three series of Happy valley to distract myself
I hope your son gets discharged ASAP .

The teenagers are not in hospital for fun they also need the care they need
I appreciate they should be more respectful if others but I doubt they are having a great time.

Tbf there are things called headphones. Her teenager was asked to get rest so she told the doc I’ll go and get him hot chocolate and cake. I am literally in the next bed so I heard this conversation. And that’s when the party started. I have no choice here but they do. Respect the fact that there are sick children around you.

I've been on a ward with my daughter and I would not feel comfortable watching a show at 1am. There are headphones and one can laugh quietly or into a pillow.

How selfish.

Complain op. Are there any ward managers anymore ?

He child is ill too ,
Its a difficult time when you have an ill child in hospital however old they are

Of course ,but ime. They usually work 9-5 Monday to Friday.

I don’t get this. All I am asking here is to use headphones. I know no one is here for fun. Use headphones. That’s all I ask. Did you use headphones when you were watching your show when at hospital?

I just asked them why they put a 7 yr old with teenagers who have completely different sets of lifestyles. My son needs a blood transfusion this morning and is anxious anyway about it. No rest until 3am when they decided they wanted to fall asleep.

I so feel for you and your son. I had the same issue but for myself as an adult last year when two patients kept having conversations across the ward at gone midnight and played games and watched tv on tablets without headphones.

I was so exhausted and sleep deprived that I told the nurse I was going home and meant it. This seemed to kick the staff into action and they had firm words with the two patients.

Lack of sleep in hospital wards really needs to be addressed as a serious problem. Night staff also need to be reminded that having a jolly and talking loudly through the night isn’t ok either. After all, I’m sure they don’t have to contend with constant noise when they go to bed to sleep.

I hope that you both get a better night tonight.

This sounds very stressful and I am sorry that your DS is unwell. I think there should be quiet time from 10pm onwards at the latest. Trying to relax by watching television is understandable, but, as you say, people can use headphones. Some people just don't consider others, but the staff should be telling them. Nobody wants their child to be in the hospital but it doesn't mean they can act without consideration of those around them.

It's not about age its about clinical needs
I appreciate your anxious, its not easy having a child in hospital ,all you can do is speak to the nurses about it .

I have a health condition requiring hospital every few months. And people in general are selfish, noise, screen lights, all hours. I have - over the years- worked out that I need to take earplugs, or my own earphones with music, and a soft eyemask. People won't change, so you have to minimise their effects.
Only time complaining had any effect was when the ward matron was reintroduced for a while.

Can't believe people are making excuses for such appallingly selfish behaviour!

'Oh but he's ill too' - well then it would be a good idea if he got some flipping sleep, wouldn't it.

There should still be a matron .

@lostintranslation148some governments literally use sleep deprivation as a method of torture. But looks like some people here think that’s ok. The thing is. I don’t want people to stop their 3am parties. Please carry on, if that’s how you think your anxiety will go away. All I would like them to consider is to use headphones.

Nobody thinks its ok
I said they should be more respectful of others
But some people aren't unfortunately.

I’d have just gone and told the teen and mum to use headphones because small sick children are trying to sleep.