16 year old in hospital, adult mixed ward.

[Teenangels]

My daughter and I are currently sitting on a chair in the waiting area, to be taken up to a ward, she is 16 only just and been diagnosed with an appendicitis, she has been given morphine, so is sleepy and

I have been told that she will be going up to an adult mixed ward to wait for surgery and that I am not allowed to go up with her.

I am actually furious that my 16 year old will be surrounded by adult men, she is a child how is this allowed to happen.

In my eyes she is still a child, she can't get married (without my permission) but can be treated as a child.

AIBU and over reacting or AINBU to feel she is being totally let down.

Oh no your poor daughter. I was admitted to hospital when I was 25 and taken to a mixed ward at around 2am. Within minutes the old man in the bay next to me was peering through the curtains. I’m sure it wasn’t malicious at all and he was obviously quite confused but I was terrified. Luckily they quickly realised I was an infection risk and I was moved to my own room.
I really hope they find another option for your daughter. 16 is still very young to be alone in hospital.

And I'm afraid it's not up to the 'parents' to chase up meds, tests etc or to advocate for their adult children.

It's actually illegal for medical staff to discuss any details of treatments/tests etc without the express consent of the adult patient.

Having read recently of the amount of sexual and assaults and rapes occurring in hospitals (unbelievable) I would not be happy with your daughter (or any other female) being on a mixed ward.

In a ward there are bays, in some wards there are female bays and male bays rather than just male bays, or just female bays, it isn’t a case of one big bay with everyone in. If its a surgical waiting bay generally patients are in chairs rather than laying in bed while they wait to be called up.

16 is a completely normal age to be on an adult ward, they don’t need specialist peadiatric care.

The only dangerous thing I can see with this is the fact she is still sat on a chair after morphine!

We have now been taken up to the ward, WiFi was seriously lacking in A&E.

The ward is mixed the bays are single, the bathrooms and toilets are mixed.

We arrived and there were 2 men both in the 70's arse hanging out walking around.

I have been told by the sister in charge that I am not allowed to stay and she will definitely be kept in until tomorrow as there are no surgical slots today.

The nurses station is by the entrance doors and patients bays are further along and there are about 8 bays with 4 beds in each bay.
There is no privacy!

I understand that she is 16 but she is still at school.

OP, there's nothing to be gained by being 'furious' by medical staff treating your DD appropriately. You will simply get less co-operation from them because you want your DD to be treated as a child, when she is not a child, and the rules are the same for everyone.

The rules about the age of admission to children's wards/hospitals are the same countrywide, you have your 16th birthday and you've become an adult, and your DD is now an adult.

Grateful?
We pay for this shitshow!!
I would refuse to leave her, she's a child, she's going need her mum.

@oobeedoobee I'm not sure what's with all the bold but 16 is legally still a minor because the age of majority in this country is 18 and therefore it is perfectly reasonable for OP to have concerns.

I used to nurse on a surgical receiving ward and I did find it pretty sad that 16 year olds came to us. I don't think its an unreasonable request for you to accompany her. The last one I remember the mum stayed throughout the entire stay, admittedly on a bay in a chair and provided her own meals and was a delight. I'll admit if you go in all guns blazing they are less likely to be accommodating and follow whatever policy is in place to the letter. Is there a reason why there is not open visiting on the ward? Most hospitals have gone back to open visiting now. At least if you knew she was settled in a single sex bay and spoke to the nurse looking after her it might give you some reassurance.

Hope she gets her op soon, most people are out within a day or so and do really well.

Not where l work it isn't.

If in FT education, under 18yrs and want a children's ward, that's where they go.

OP, at 16, she is in fact an adult

Not in the eyes of the law, which is why 18 is the usual threshold for many things. And 16-25 they are young adults and vary massively in maturity, there should be room for flexibility and neurodivergence. And 16 year old girls, because they are definitely girls not adults at that age, are obviously extremely vulnerable to adult men, for obvious reasons, and as many people have pointed out there is a safeguarding issue. DD1 at 17 is allowed to go to the dentist or GP on her own but it doesn't mean she has to go on her own. She is extremely mature for her age in most ways but yet she wanted me to go in with her when she saw the GP the other day and this was allowed- I didn't assume I'd be permitted to go with her but was allowed nonetheless.

And most adults still want someone with them on a normal ward when they are poorly, worried, and have been given a strong painkiller, unless they are in a pre-surgical area. Until Covid this was quite normal.

Don't be so ridiculous! She is not an adult until she is 18.

In my hospital 16 year olds go to adult wards.

Op can you get hold of PALS?

They managed to sort out a similar situation for me VERY quickly when I said I got upset and made it clear I was going to kick up a fuss.

Squeaky wheel and all that.

Sixteen year olds are not adults !

@America12 And in other hospitals they don't always. I don't see what your point is.

That's why I said most and not all.
In our network it's adult ward from 16th birthday regardless of whether the child is still in school. Theres not enough paeds beds in our area to accommodate 16 and 17 year olds. The only exception is complex patients that are well known to us.

she is 16, she isnt a child and it will be an all women bay. You are being ridiculous

How many of you would want 16 year old boys in a paediatric ward with your 10 year old girl? I can only imagine the trauma!

What exactly do you think is going to happen?
The toilets won't be mixed and the ward will be separated by a curtain down the middle; there will also be curtains round each bed.

Exactly, there was a case in Ireland recently where a teen girl was sexually assaulted by an adult man on a mixed ward.

DD is a paeds nurse. They take up to and including 18 depending on individual circumstances.

There would be hell on!

Absolutely not a chance in hell I would allow that to happen!