To think its a hospital, not a day out!

[Cucumber1234]

Im in hospital, on a ward.

Some of the other peoples families are treating it like a day out. Kids, running around, youtube, its more like a youth club, not a ladys ward!

I feel so ill. Im in so much pain. And a bit of peace and quiet would be nice. Ive had to leave my disabled kids with friends. So im anxious about that. All i want is to have a space to start to get better.

I think visiting hours should be limited like they were during Covid. What person who is ill enough to be in hospital wants to be there making small talk for hours on end even with their nearest and dearest. As for kids running round the ward. No, not on. Speak to the staff. I hope you feel better soon and can go home.

YANBU. My twin sister is in hospital at the moment, quite unwell. Her husband has invited his friend to see her ever though she's in pain, hasn't been able to have a wash and high on painkillers.

They then stood over her bed having a loud and lengthy conversation.

How selfish can you be?

You're not unreasonable, this is awful. Sadly I think it's sometimes the case that those who complain most get more, regardless of what they actually need, so I would ask, and ask again, about a private bay. It must be so hard being away from your kids xxx

I couldn't agree more.

I don't know, maybe the staff are happy for the relatives to be there and "keep an eye" on those who are unwell, since they may not have the time or the staffing levels to do it themselves. Or something.

It is so desperately unfair on those like OP who are in pain and very unwell though, so there has to be a compromise somewhere. Two at a time, kids for ten minutes, max one hour, no Youtube or similar etc.? Surely the greater good has to prevail.

I was admitted three times during Covid, fairly sick too, and honestly it was bliss that there were NO visitors allowed at all. I was lonely yes, but I had Facetime and the likes, and family could leave a parcel of necessary (and luxury) items at reception and porters would bring it up within the hour. Never wanted for anything. I got better without visitors and slept better too.

Are people afraid to challenge these noisy oafs or what? I don't think I'd be able to keep quiet. If you are very unwell patience wears very thin. Some visitors can be very selfish, but that seems to be the way life is these days in a lot of ways. Tell the staff OP, or ask the visiting gang to pipe down NOW. You have nothing to lose.

Ive asked and asked for my pain meds. Meant to have them at 4pm, Dr said IV paracetamol, oramorph and diclofenic suppositories. The nurse said a little while ago that i can only have the suppositories. But i havent even had them! Im in agony. Im facing having a hysterectomy at age 32. I cant rest. The reason im in is for pain management. The big bright lights are on. Everyones talking loudly. Phones going off loudly. Ffs. Im in so much pain that i couldnt move even if i wanted to leave

I considered starting a thread very like this last night. I spent the whole night in A&E waiting to be admitted, while some families had a jolly night out. There was one woman on a drip accompanied by 2 other women who were there for several hours talking loudly, then the 2 women left, to be replaced by four men - so a total of 6 adults accompanying the patient at various times. Later on a group of four quite young people came in, one of them unwell, the other three playing music, laughing and swearing. I don't understand why at the point of booking into A&E there isn't some rule applied about numbers of accompanying people.

Sounds a nightmare, but I'm curious. How did you know what the child was in for?

Speak to staff. We are 2 visitors to a bed, a child doesn't count. Some people try it on to say what they can get away with.

Had an adult with 2 kids turn up for a visit then soon after another adult with 2 kids for the same patient. When I asked them to take turns with the visiting I was met with 'but the kids don't count'.....eh sorry but we can't have 6 visitors around the bed, there simply isn't room.

On the other hand sometimes it's the staffs fault as they just can't be bothered with the hassle, which isn't fair on us trying to do our job properly. I for one am fed up hearing ' but we were allowed yesterday'..

Def speak up op

@AnotherTownAnotherTrain I'm staff, rather than patient - sorry, should have said that in my post!

It's like HCPs have no idea about needing peace and quiet after being ill, ffs, why have standards gone down so badly? It was the same last time I was in hospital and I'm due to go on again soon and am dreading it. OP I hope you're home soon x

I’m so sorry. This is one of my worst nightmares. I can’t imagine how you’re meant to get better in a noisy environment. Sending flowers 💐

Its after 9 at night and the big bright lights are still on. Someones phone keeps ringing on loud. The lady opposite is on her phone chatting, and so is her visitor on her phone.

5hrs late but finally having 2 of my meds.

Its dreadful

Press your bell and ask to speak to the ward sister.

What I don’t understand when I go to my local hospital is there are always lots of fairly young people in hospital gowns with big wheelie canisters or blood attached to them, they’re all smoking as well usually chatting. Does anyone know what might be wrong with them?

Blood transfusions ? Dialysis? Chemo? Sadly being sick happens at any age.

Ah, I see. I am feeling a little stupid because I didn't think of that!

You need to push it with staff - they know thebehaviour isn't acceptable but don't want to take on the loud families as they might kick off with the staff.

There was an appallingly loud big family who came to visit a mother on the ward every evening when I had my baby (in for 3 nights, 25 years ago).

Midwives had to be reminded every night to ask them to leave when visiting hours were over, I was the one who asked, staff didn't want to engage with them.

I had this once when i was a student midwife! South Asian family turned up to visit a new baby on the postnatal ward and there was about 15 of them including kids running wild! I repeatedly reminded them of the 2 visitors to a bed and no kids other than the mothers rules but was completely ignored. In the end the midwife in charge kicked them all out and they went and complained to the head of midwifery that they had been treated like that because we were being racist!!!! Head of midwifery immediately bowed down to the racism accusation and allowed them to basically do as they pleased while the mother and baby were in there for another 4 days, making the lives of the other mothers absolute hell with the noise and feral children running wild!

Also, if the staff won't talk to the loud visitors, complain.

I had issues with the way my dad was being treated in hospital a few years ago, and was really surprised that complaining resulted in a meeting with his consultant, medical social worker and ward manager. Got him moved to another ward, which was a lot more patient focused.

From experience of hospital stays by my dad, i've found that ward magers an have a huge impact on patient experience - some are patient centred, some are staff centred.

If you're too sick to go through the complaint process, try to get a family member or friend to act as your advocate.

Sorry you're so sick, hope you get better soon.

Of course I know being ill happens at any age!
im just wondering what they all have In common as they come from the same ward same canisters.

I'm in hospital too. Yep it's supposed to be but several people come and stay talking loudly for hours. Some people stay till 11pm. Don't want to complain and be seen as a trouble maker 😪

I actually don't judge those who bring their children to visit or to A and E/outpatients etc because not everyone can get childcare, especially at last minute. What I DO get judgy about is when those same children are not told to behave. A hospital is no place for running around making noise.

I'm seeing this all the time lately. cafes, shops, hospital, GP, anywhere public, it seems. I was in a library earlier and witnessed some kids (age 9 or 10, so old enough to know how to behave and be quiet) running around shouting. I love that children can visit libraries and get excited about reading (I was a bookish child, I am a bookish adult) but it spoils it for everyone else when they have to run around shrieking. Sadly it's becoming the norm where I live. I either see the other end of the spectrum of parenting (little toddlers just acting their age and being yelled at) or older children who run riot and are not told off at all. I get that at she 9 upwards that probably won't be accompanied by an adult but surely staff should be able to shush them! Used to be you could gently reprimand anyone's child and everyone knew where they stood.

It makes sense that they're all from the same ward, wards are split by specialism. So it may well be (for example) the dialysis ward.

I've recently had an op, I had to carry a bottle of 'blood' around with me - it was a surgical drain.

If you really want to know you can probably look up the ward on the hospital website to see what their specialism is.

I was hospitalised with HG and I was genuinely frightened I was loosing the baby/dying. The woman in the next bay had 9 visitors and at one point someone set up a gas ring and reheated curry for them all which made me vomit so violently I ruptured my oesophagus and started vomiting blood. The midwife did then make them leave but the selfishness of it all was surreal. One of the many men in the party looked round by curtain repeatedly and it was obvious they were making nasty comments about me. When they were leaving one of them called me a "stinking drunk" no one told him off.