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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Worst behaviour you’ve encountered in hospital ward

221 replies

Ithinkthatsenough · 13/04/2018 18:56

I am probably being U and touchy in posting this as ive just spent the day in hospital having a late d&c...
on ward with 2 other ladies who were chatty, was fine and bearable this morning, after 1/2 hohri knew all about their admissions and problems, children’s schooling, then had to put my headphones in when they started on bowel movements.
I was having an op, cleary due to care, questions asked, they could hear eveyrthinf tooand quite a distressing one

OP posts:
Loonyluna16 · 13/04/2018 20:08

In emergency care ward 2 weeks ago. Doctor examining me and the lady in the bed next to me, her daughter pulled openthe curtain as her mum wanted more light Hmm

peacheachpearplum · 13/04/2018 20:09

Back in the days when men couldn't be at the birth, man arrives on ward, he is black she is white, she is excited as baby is only couple of hours old. He looks in the cot and decides the baby isn't his as it was too pale, calls her some names and marches out leaving her screaming. She cried for hours and spent hours on the phone (one of those coin ones on a trolley) begging him to comes back. Nearly 50 years on I can still hear her screaming. It was heartbreaking to listen to.

HariboIsMyCrack · 13/04/2018 20:18

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cloudyweewee · 13/04/2018 20:18

I have never spent a single night in hospital, and having read this thread, I hope I never have to Shock

n1a2m3e4 · 13/04/2018 20:19

Doctor catheterised me during visitng hour, emergency as 1.7 litres of urine backed up as nurses had refused to believe I was retaining for 6 hours. Doctor shouted loudly to all that I had a weird vagina, thay the nurses wouldn't help because they've never seen such strange anatomy. Then proceeded to catheterise me wrongly twice, 3 times too large a tube and left me in a wet bed with no jammies on unable to sit up.

Medical student calmed me down thankfully and a lovely auxiliary showered me.

Also a patient who shouted all night as nurses kept coming in to me, I was pretty ill though and she had dementia/sundowning so can forgive her.

Last admission, nurses left a tiny wee confused lady with a chest drain and history of falls to self mobilise to toilet in pitch black at 3am. She was in a bed totally invisible to station so no-one knew. Weren't happy when I and 2 other patients said we were worried.

Onlyjoinedforthisthread · 13/04/2018 20:22

Grandmother in hospital, lady on next bed hose came away from oxygen mask and she was distressed, so told nearest nurse who just said this isn't my ward, turned round and walked out the door. I hope she doesn't work in a hospital anymore

Timeoftheseason · 13/04/2018 20:22

I came to from anaesthetic on a gynae ward to a woman shouting and screaming that it hurt and she needed it out of her now! She had a male with her who was listening to football on his phone and the louder she screamed the higher he turned the football, I think he either had a really good phone or external speakers! He even left the ward to go out for a cig with it still blaring.
In my confused post op state I thought she was in labour, but she'd had a coil fitted earlier that day and it was painful.
I did ask the nurse doing my post op checks to have it turned down but she just shrugged at me. I was grateful for headphones.

BlueRoses28 · 13/04/2018 20:22

When I was in hospital having DD, the woman in the next bed to me was really annoyed at another woman for snoring...so she threw a book across the room at herShock. She was moved to a room on her own the next day.

Sirzy · 13/04/2018 20:22

Ds at 8 weeks old, critically ill in the hdu bay on the ward. Approximately 3 Doctors and 4 nurses all fighting to get him stable, hca stood with me. Another parent burst into the room and shouted “so that’s where you all hiding, I need a bottle for the baby” Shock

frasier · 13/04/2018 20:24

Insurance insurance insurance if you can afford it.

My medical insurance is the most important purchase I have after my house and school fees.

Private room which was a godsend with my D&Cs.

n1a2m3e4 · 13/04/2018 20:28

On the other hand I've also met some wonderful people in hospital professionally and as a patient. Professionally there are a lot I think of all the time, especially those who passed away.

As a patient , very young and terrified as doctors saying I needed urgent surgery and potentially looking at lifelong condition, a lovely Egyptian lady helped me a great deal , took me onto her bed and calmed me down hugely. Still remember her words when upset, she was wonderful.

Timeoftheseason · 13/04/2018 20:29

frasier I'm very pleased for you, but not everyone (including me) has a house they own or school fees to pay and still can't afford private medical care.

A strict ward sister who doesn't take crap from badly behaved visitors and patients is the answer.

BlueRoses28 · 13/04/2018 20:32

I've thought of another one. DD in hospital with a severe chest infection. A mother and son walk into the ward, nurse shows them sons bed. After about 10 minutes, the mother says to the boy "come on let's go, this is riduculous"

Just at that a doctor came in and asked her where she was going. "We're going home because he's absolutely fine". Doctor said, "Well no he's not fine which is why you brought him to A&E in the first place. He needs to stay til we find out what's wrong. I highly recommend you stay" The mother of the child then called the doctor a stupid bitch and walked out.

crunchymint · 13/04/2018 20:34

Actually I don't want a single room. And my friends who have been in hospital a number of times have always chosen to go NHS over private with anything very serious. In single rooms you are much more vulnerable if truly ill.

BlueRoses28 · 13/04/2018 20:35

Now I have read some of the other posts I wish to withdraw mine as being too trivial. Some people experience shocking behaviour

Haha me too, mines are so tame compared to some of these.

user2375 · 13/04/2018 20:36

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crunchymint · 13/04/2018 20:36

So friend came round after a cancer operation in a single room in private hospital and really needed help. No one came for two hours and she could not manage to call for help. In a ward she would have been noticed by other patients who would have got help for her.

I also think staff who are bad behave better on wards than in private rooms where they can not be observed.

Toddlerteaplease · 13/04/2018 20:37

I'm a peadiatric nurse. We once had a special needs child on the ward who was having end of life care. ( very very unusual on my ward) we were incredibly stretched as she was needing so much care. All the other families could see what was happening and were brilliant and very understanding. Except one, who child was very well and in for a minor procedure. She complained about something and I explained we had a very sick child and we would deal with what ever it was asap. She said that her child wasn't "exactly fit for discharge" I lost my cool and pointed out that the child was dying. She shut up for about 20 seconds. I had to walk away before I strangled her!

halfwitpicker · 13/04/2018 20:39

I can't believe they still have mixed sex wards. Wtaf.

EasterBunBun · 13/04/2018 20:39

Not bad but Confused On a gynaecology post op ward, lady opposite had vast amounts of family visiting. Her husband, taking pity on my visitorless state ( my own DH was waiting for the summons to get me after discharge) came over and asked chattily ‘ So, what have you had done ? ‘ . Umm.....

NurseButtercup · 13/04/2018 20:40

"Somebody doing heroin in the patient's toilet" is sadly a regular occurrence in the hospital where I'm doing my training.

YellowFlower201 · 13/04/2018 20:41

My Sil had just given birth and was on the post natal ward. All the curtains were open and one woman kept face timing and showing people her room. Everyone's boobs on show etc.

I fear I was the inconvenience after my section. I was screaming in pain due to an infection. They were very nice about it but I feel bad. I'm sure I was swearing and it was the middle of the night Blush

HariboIsMyCrack · 13/04/2018 20:41

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crunchymint · 13/04/2018 20:42

Yes I was the inconvenience screaming in pain. Later I apologised to other people on the ward when I was a bit better, but they all just seemed genuinely concerned for me. All lovely old ladies.

Queenio24 · 13/04/2018 20:43

On a bay of 4 who had all had c sections, a young woman threatening to pull her own catheter out so she could go for a fag ASAP. The nurse told her she'd rip her insides out if she did and was pleading with her to wait, as it was a balloon, she screamed back she didn't fucking care Shock.
She was on the phone to her family, loudly all the time, I knew the ins and outs of her Jeremy Kyle esque arguements with all her friends.
When her partner came later, she was insisting how much the baby looked like his other child. The partner then kicked off and told her to stop pretending he was the father and stormed out, but with lots of aggressive swearing.
I had an infection in my c section wound and felt like hell, with all this going on 5 feet away from me.