To think that hospital waiting rooms are not your own house

[Sparklycurtainpole]

About to lose the will to live.
Currently on a paediatric assessment unit at our local hospital after being referred from our local urgent care centre. Baby is poorly and I'm here alone whilst DP is at home with our other two little ones.
Place is fairly busy, staff are being absolutely lovely but one family in the unit are driving me slowly round the bend.
Child of theirs is about 2.5 and busily trashing the place. So far has weed on the floor (after parent removed their nappy and let them run around - parent was laughing and tbought it was hysterical child had weed all over the place.
There are five adults waiting with one child and they've spread themselves far and wide across the unit. Every area, surface, seating etc has some of their discarded belongings on it - snacks, phones, coats, nappy bags, an entire picnic, toys etc.
They're constantly going on in very loud voices about how useless the staff are and are huffing and puffing about every aspect of their care. I feel I know the child's entire medical history as the parents and grandparents feel as if they have to discuss everything at top volume across the large area and are regaling each other with tales of how 'shit' the nhs is.
They've raided the ward kitchen for the child and have left almost a dozen different various sandwiches, snacks and drinks discarded after one bite all over the area or have just offered the child something then eaten it all themselves despite signs everywhere saying food is for patients and breastfeeding mothers only.
The racket from them is intimidating, unnecessary and also extremely annoying.
Whilst we're all waiting for beds, trying to settle tired and poorly babies and small children this family are treating the whole area as if they're at home and the rest of us patients are invisible.
They're constantly looking around to see if anyone is listening to their nonsense and trying to engage everyone in their mission to slag off the perceived poor care they're receiving.
They're also constantly watching films on their devices on top volume.
I've just managed to get my poorly baby off to sleep and now they're crashing around and carrying on like they're in the middle of their lounge.
I'm tired, I'm upset, I'm worried about my baby and I just don't get why some people always need an audience.
The staff have tried to ask them to keep it down so the other children and parents can get some peace but no sooner have the staff left the area than they start it all up again.

[user1493453415]

"when popping outside for some air about 10.30pm there were 2 men sat outside n the hospital wheelchairs having a full on shouting match.."

Sorry sales but you have no idea what they were going through - they were outside and not on a ward.

[thecatsarecrazy]

I was in Bristol children's hospital with my baby son for 3 weeks and I witnessed this kind of shit alot.
I felt like I was in a prison. I was sat there not getting a straight answer out of anyone to find out what was actually wrong with my son and people were constantly coming in getting treatment and going but still moaning. One family really annoyed me. He took his daughter to the g.p, was sent to hospital, operated on and home the next day. He was on the phone constantly telling everyone in detail what she had done, was complaining how he had to wait in a and e with a baby why wasn't she a priority? There was mum, dad, both sets of grandparents their until well past midnight talking constantly.

Another a mum came in with 2 boys and I assume her brother ( children's uncle) one boy needed a minor procedure done and as long as all well he could go home a few hours later but no, his mum and the uncle had booked a table somewhere and a hotel room . So both fucked off mid afternoon leaving the poor sole alone. He was profoundly deaf and had other obvious problems and the poor nursing team were chasing him round the ward all day and night. They turned up the next day, the uncle was talking on the phone loudly about what a rough night, he feels like shit and he thinks he will give the pub a miss tonight and stay at home and get stoned. The day before he was calling his nephew a spiteful little fucker for everyone to hear. The mum then said I need transport home and started making a fuss.

[Goldfishjane]

OP I feel for you
I have seen this a few times
I once remarked they must have no life if eight of them were going to hang out in a and e, surprised they didn't stab me!

[Flossimodo]

I'm just reacting to another thread, where a Mum wanted to make an emergency appointment with the doctor because her son had had a sore throat for 24 hours. Sheesh!

[Flossimodo]

Why do whole families turn up for a not sick at all child?

Oh don't even get me started up on that one!
Mum, Dad. Nan, granddad, an aunt and two uncles and a friend of the Nan turn up to visit a toddler who has a sore throat and didn't even get as far as being admitted.

Is it becoming a 'thing' to get your child hospitalised for actually nothing at all?

[Flossimodo]

Sparkly Sounds like a fucking nightmare for you.

I feel so sorry for you that you are having to put up with this.

I have been in hosp constantly with my SN child 25 years ago, and it was bad enough then, just dealing with my child's illness.
My heart goes out to you that not only do you have to worry about your child, but that you have to deal with other parents who don't give a shit, and disrespect the service that they are accessing.

A&E is obviously being abused. It is intended for accidents and serious medical emergencies. If people are relaxed enough to flounce around and complain, and have snacks, then something is seriously amiss.
A&E is for heart attacks and strokes or fractured limbs and road accidents not to mention sick babies.
Complain about poor care? If you are not an emergency then you have to wait. They have emergencies enough to deal with.

I'm no stranger to sitting around in A&E all night waiting for a doctor to take a look at my fitting child. While I am waiting for the doctor to turn up, they are likely working to stop blood loss to a road accident victim or they just lost a patient they fought hard to save.

I have no time for the folks who sit and complain about bad service.
The hospital doctors feel just as bad that they can't be everywhere,
for everybody. It's their job, but they have to tend to people who need it most.
Having said all that. A baby with a high temp would be high priority.
A grown up with a suspected broken thumb (or whatever) might not.
So we just have to suck it up. And fucking wait your turn.

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Why do whole families turn up for a not sick at all child? Because they would have nothing to vaguebook about. The poor kid who usually has a virus and would be better at home in bed is dragged out by parents and grandparents who need a drama to talk about.

Ironic that they bang on about how shit the NHS is when its their "parenting" that causes more issues for their and other peoples kids.

Cunts

[lalalalyra]

The only excuse to have a group with a patient is if they are likely they die imo. When my relative was taken to a&e a few weeks ago a whole crowd of us ended up there, turning up a few at a time because we knew that an infection most likely meant the end.

There was another family in the waiting room. 6 adults and 2 other kids waiting on the 13yo footballer to hop to X-ray.

Yet it was only us who were giving up seats when other people arrived as we felt we were taking over the waiting room!

[salsmum]

While waiting for my DD to have an x-ray the lovely nurse told me that the security in the hospital is rubbish and they have had people attacked with acid and the attackers have come into the hospital to ' finish the job off' both patients and staff should be protected more.

[Terfing]

Yes, I recognize this too!

I do wish hospitals had more security, but it just isnt possible with the current budget!

I think Jeremy Hunt should do a 24-hour hospital stay for charity... let's see how he copes!

[salsmum]

I have had to go to hospital numerous times with my disabled daughter, the other day we spent 12 hours in A&E. when popping outside for some air about 10.30pm there were 2 men sat outside n the hospital wheelchairs having a full on shouting match...as I walked back into the unit one of them made eye contact with me...I said you need to have some respect shouting and hollering like this, there are folks in here really sick to which he replied I can't f###ing ELP it, I'm in pain! So are they I replied as I walked away raging he said 'er love can you push me back in there? I turned round with a resounding NO the gall of some people!

[corythatwas]

Absolutely agree with that.

But have noticed that years of sudden rushes to hospital have got me conditioned into planning the practicalities before I've even crossed the hospital doors. And however dire the emergency I will grab the nearest book before I step into the ambulance.

[Nonibaloni]

That's not really what I meant. Of course when you spend a lot of time in hospital you have to eat, you can't pour from an empty cup.

But that's not at all what op is talking about is it? The balance has swung to being disruptive to the rest of the people waiting. We all deal with stress and worry differently but you don't get to make it worse for other people.

[corythatwas]

Nonibaloni Sun 30-Apr-17 00:06:39
"This is the last thing you need. If you are relaxed enough to be looking for snacks you don't need to be waiting for a bed in hospital"

That isn't actually true. The needs of the child are not to be measured by the reactions of the parents. And if you have a very sickly child, you soon get into the habit of thinking about practicalities.

Which does not detract from the fact that the OP deserves all sympathy; this lot sound ghastly.

[KeiraKnightleyActsWithHerTeeth]

There is always one group like this!
We were recently in A&E and sitting opposite a woman who had brought her daughter, 3 friends and was ringing her mum telling her she was "bang out of order" for not driving 100 miles at 4am in the morning to come and sit with her.
She then went on to recant (with much theatrics) a tale about getting her glass dildo stuck.
All at the top of her voice, desperately looking around hoping someone was looking at her so she could have a pop. Between the four of them they must have taken up about 12-16 seats and 3 little corner tables and draped coats over the water dispenser.

She was still in the waiting room, holding court, 6 hours later when I was being wheeled up to the ward.

[PerspicaciaTick]

If you are lucky, the noisy families at our local A&E bring guns and knives to continue the feuds they are fighting off site. Then the police put the hospital into lockdown.

[chickpeaburger]

Tinks.

[Witchend]

Been there, seen that. Only in my case about this time of night child (in school uniform so at least 4yo, and probably 5yo) started whinging they were hungry so one went and bought a can of cola and poured it into a bottle for them.
I judged. oh I judged.

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

I've been there there was always one giant family that thought the ward was there for them alone. Usually with a very health child that they were demanding was seem immediately.

It'll pass soon, concentrate on your little one, maybe ask the nurses if you can wait somewhere quieter, there's sometimes a space (if they've been moving people up, you might get lucky).

I hope your baby is OK x

[QwertyScrewdriver]

I don't think I've ever been in the waiting room of our one and NOT seen this behaviour. It really really gets on my nerves! Once I was there with my (at the time) 3 year old who was nil by mouth for the day during treatment, woman comes flouncing in and her child laid on the bed next to us, immediately pulls the tv away from in between both beds to point it towards her child and puts on one of the dvds she brought with her (can't remember what it was but way too scary for my little one - who isn't a wimp). I was in the middle of calming mine down who'd just had a cannula put in so wasn't in a position to oppose at that point. She then pulled out a full picnic and got straight on the phone to tell her mum an elaborate story about what had happened to her son that morning, then same story to her dad, followed by aunts, friends, work mates etc. By the third call I started counting and she'd got to 11 retellings before the doctor came in to assess - at which point she told them a completely different, more plausible story
The real pisstake was when we came back from the toilet to find the colouring pencils and pad that I'd bought that morning to entertain my son over on her son's table, even though he was sound asleep. I said we were happy to leave a few pencils and the rest of the page he was colouring for when he woke up, when she reluctantly gave our pencils back, every single lead was broken and they'd been chewed. We were so glad when she got moved to a different ward!

[PickAChew]

Google and give them the details of the nearest private paeds hospital, if this one isn't meeting their expectations. (it doesn't have to be local)

Arseholes.

[Agoddessonamountaintop]

Funnily enough, the last time I was at an AandE was on holiday, in a tiny local hospital; DH was the wounded soldier. A woman came inwith her husband just after us and we were told she'd be seen first as more of a priority. Fair enough. Then another couple appear, evidently friends they were staying with while in the area. Chat chat chat. Then the woman's daughter rocks up - more exclamations and chat. There was a young couple there as well with a toddler, who theyvwere trying to keep quiet, and another man sitting by himself.
This lot weren't stereotypical Jezzer material by any means but their loud yakking and chortling really pissed me off - it was so inappropriate but they clearly thought they were entitled to behave as if the place was an extension of their living room and carry on with the jolly time they'd been having.
No sensitivity or awareness that other people might be in difficulty and need a bit of quiet. I did wonder whether, had they not been so 'naice,' they'd have been told to can it.

[OffRoader]

I'll never understand why people turn up with their whole family. I'll never forget waiting in Children's a&e and a family walked in, both parents/ grandparents, an auntie and two additional children. They sat down and the grandmother took out a tubberware box of sandwiches and of cause they all had to go into the triage room with the nurse. It's truly bizarre.

I hope your little one is doing ok OP.

[Nonibaloni]

This is the last thing you need. If you are relaxed enough to be looking for snacks you don't need to be waiting for a bed in hospital.

I remember have a baby less than a month old in the sick kids. I was such a mess I wet myself, the staff were amazing and basically nursed me too. There was a woman there demanding her son see a dr in time to get out for football practise.

I have nothing to say to help, except you'll get the help you need and never have to see that family again.

[SiouxieQ]

Their