Hospital Wards Should be Quiet at Night?

[GemmaWella81]

Third night into a stay at hospital and I feel like killing people. There's no urgency or care given to keeping the noise down, whether it's nurses talking amongst themselves, machines buzzing, or patients having zero concept of anyone but themselves.

I think there should be a reasonable expectation placed on staff to quash as much noise as possible, within reason as I appreciate a hospital is a working environment. By 4am and no more than 10 min unbroken sleep last night I was thermonuclear with rage, and to pass time began measured the average volume and it was around 55 Db peaking at 68! How is that good for patient health and recovery?

I swear id'd be out of here and recovering quicker if I was able to get some proper shut eye. I've had no choice to listen in on a patient arguing with a nurse about getting iv pain relief vs pill form a minute ago. Nurse was saying preference was a pill as it's cheaper but the patient was begging for iv. In the ensuing back and forth myself and people in beds near me were either woken up or were clearly getting agitated by it. There'll be a consequence now as most of us are in need of pain relief (surgical ward) at some point and that can momentarily knock you out...so when three people now ask for pain relief is it really cost effective then just giving the original patient iv pain relief in the first place?

It's been my first stay in hospital for a long time but I think I remember the ward nurses shussing the hell out of anyone talking or making undue noise. Now it just seems like a free for all and fuck everyone else's comfort.

[GraysAnalogy]

People are usually allowed to stay if the patient is a child at my hospital. They have special cot beds for parents. Not allowed to say with adult sons and daughters though

[honkinghaddock]

I would have thought if the patient is an adult without capacity, they should be in this respect treated as needing the same support as a child. Ds is cognitively 12 - 18 months and that is unlikely to change much now. I don't know how it could be considered safe to leave him alone. He has only had day procedures but even with 2 of us, he was difficult to manage and they let him go early.

[GraysAnalogy]

I would have thought if the patient is an adult without capacity, they should be in this respect treated as needing the same support as a child

It would make sense but speaking from experience, but not an authority on the subject, I've never seen it happen and the ward has drafted in another member of staff to give 1-1 supervision and support. It's of course something you (should you ever need to) discuss with the ward manager and they may be able to use their discretion. It differs hospital to hospital though I would expect, some may have more room to allow someone to stay overnight on an adult ward than others etc.

[honkinghaddock]

I'm surprised. I think a care assistant who didn't know him would struggle. I have visions of him if he is mobile, using his bed as trampoline, climbing over everyone else's beds and messing with any monitors. It certainly won't be quiet on that ward.

[GraysAnalogy]

They're trained to deal with what could be described as 'challenging behaviour', it's quite common that someone needs extra support and thus will need 1-1. I'm sure they'd love for you to stay if policy and logistics allowed though as obviously you know your son best and can provide the best care.

[Dollymixtureyumyum]

Honking your hospital should have a learning disability champion who you can ask to come and see you if your son is ever admitted