NHS in crises - the patient

[HospitalStayNHS]

I’m experiencing a very mixed bag of services this week due to being very ill and ending up in two a&e departments (I live in two areas) and being admitted in one.
I’m writing at 1.24am as the very full ward has an 84 yr old patient possibly suffering some form a dementia, obviously I am sympathetic but having suffered almost fatal sepsis (first a&e didn’t pick this up), I could do with some rest and she is constantly pressing her buzzer and yelling out. Could she not be moved to a private room?
The NHS is clearly in total crises. The service I’ve received from second hospital has been wonderful but 8hrs in recovery, due to lack of beds then onto this noisy ward won’t make anyone better.

Ear plugs.

Op in my experience of an NHS ward and of visiting a relative in a mental health ward there is often someone crying out loud at night and sadly often they do have dementia. At first I didn't understand why someone didn't comfort them then I realised it was dementia. It's hard to listen to. Hospitals aren't the best places to spend a lot of time- the best thing you can focus on is getting yourself well and on trying to stay out of hospital in future

If you're going to be in a while and you can, get some sleep headphones. They're like a soft material headband and contain flat headphones so you can sleep with them on. They have saved me in noisy situations as they have Bluetooth and you can hook them upto your phone and play rain sounds etc., . They're cheap, maybe 20 quid on amazon and worth every penny.

I'm a light sleeper so totally sympathise. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I gave birth in a civilized country where everyone gets a private or semi private room.

The more women are shamed for expecting to receive a basic level of appropriate care after major abdominal surgery - which includes the ability to rest and heal - or privacy while trying to establish breastfeeding, the less likely it is that these basic standards will be achieved.

I’ve had experience of that exact same situation. Lady was packing her pillow case for a ‘flight’ constantly. She didn’t appear distressed, chatting away but very unsteady. Nurses didn’t do anything a far as I could see aside from chat at their station. It was fellow patients that helped this woman eat and get her back into bed.
Eventually she fell and was then moved.

We also had a biscuit muncher, sat most of the night noisily smashing biscuits into her face and crinkling packets (not dementia).

Another lady had what sounded like cancer and couldn’t eat and the nurse kept telling her to burp in order to eat more and get an appetite from the smell of the burp- absolutely bizarre. Must have said the word ‘burp’ very loudly, 100 times a day. Poor lady was mortified. Gave me the rage. I’ll go private and be thankful next time.

Hope you get better soon op, in the meantime ear defenders perhaps.

Side rooms are a nightmare logistically to manage and unsafe, how can I see if you have collapsed if you are behind a closed door? As the nurse/midwife in charge, I want to see you to assess you, but pardon me for being concerned

@mathanxiety you do realise people give birth in private rooms and then go to a ward?

There aren't enough private rooms, so they have to be prioritised for infection control reasons, and the dying. There is also a very strong argument that patients with dementia are safer in open bays, where they can be seen, rather than out of sight in side rooms. And yes, I've been in an open bay, with patients who clearly had dementia, when admitted acutely. This is despite actually being a consultant in the same hospital: there isn't a secret store of hidden side rooms.