To throw my hospital bed neighbour’s phone out the window

[Sayshesheshe]

I won’t be obviously but she has spent the entire day on speaker phone seemingly to every person she’s ever met in her life.

It’s a maternity ward, I’ve slept a total of 0 hours since yesterday in between her and my adorable newborn and my tolerance is at an all time low. We’re both in tonight too and I don’t know how I’m going to survive her. She also has her phone notifications on loud.

Why are people like this?

Seriously, who cares. Nurse, midwife….. so what!

Well I feel less alone at least but sorry we’ve all been in the same boat.

For those that asked why I haven’t raised it - I now have and I’ve just heard the other person in our room do the same. Phone woman’s partner is now here and they’re having an above normal conversation level heated discussion which we’ve both also mentioned.

I’m hoping to escape first thing tomorrow - had a c section and issues with feeding so have stayed an additional night which wasn’t my choice for sure!

I stayed in for several nights after my csection and at least 2 nights there was a woman with a laptop/iphone watching a drama on full volume late at night that was set in a hospital ward that revolved around still birth and pregnancy loss - there was at least one woman in our room who experienced loss in that time (honestly you wonder what the hell is wrong with some people’s brains or if they are just sociopaths). The noise was waking me and my baby but the content I think must have been upsetting to that woman and troubling for women waiting to deliver. If I wasn’t on pain relief and dealing with other emotions I would have complained - it is hard post birth to know if your just being emotional and over reacting. I would say it to a nurse - I wish I had!

You shouldn't have had to ask her. The staff on the ward should have asked her.

Can you discharge?

I had one on FaceTime till the early hours too, and another who had their phone on loud on the table and would just leave it to ring in the night too. The post natal wards are horrible.

I hope you can get home today, it really does make all the difference. I was waiting all day for the doctor to discharge us but I definitely would have discharged myself if they had taken much longer

I had the woman in the bed next to me playing with her ringtones at 6 in the morning at full volume. FUCKING RINGTONES.

Then she phoned and was shouting breakfast cooking instructions at an elderly man who I could also hear shouting back at her, both shouting over each other so having to repeat stuff.

No I only heard her end of the conversation. Multiple times to different people telling them she was calling the baby Lily and surname.

The ward can make as many rules as they like but unless the Sister is tough and the staff team with her, they don't get enforced. Protected sleep and rest should be a campaign.

I think every maternity ward should have a business case prepared and ready for constructing more single rooms. You never know in the NHS when the money might be available.

Hope you get out soon.

I was on a plane where a woman was playing a movie on her phone out loud.

I think her AirPod headphones may have run out of battery. It was an overnight long haul flight and everyone around her was trying to sleep. I offered to lend her my headphones, which she declined then turned it down, and soon after, off.

How can someone be so utterly rude and unaware I don’t know. We need to rewrite the social contract re public behaviour and noise, as tech has ripped up the old one.

Yes. These rules apply in a workplace. Let’s get them applied in public places. Hospitals, trains.

The smoking ban worked. Tech noise pollution might not cause cancer but it certainly causes anger! A campaign, signage, posters everywhere to give more confidence in people to raise and address it personally…

Someone did this to me when I had my first. Calling people all night, loads of visitors all day, everything at full volume. After a couple of nights I complained and it turned out she used to work there so clearly the normal rules didn't apply. Discharged myself the next morning, still too weak from blood loss to lift my baby.

I'm really surprised the air stewards didn't say anything to her. They're usually pretty hot on getting the cabin dark and quiet for night fights.

Just understand 'the staff' clearly couldn't care less, otherwise this wouldn't be a problem. Why are you posting on here if it's beyond you to be sympathetic?

I feel so bad for you. I recently had major foot surgery and was in the worst pain of my life and just wanted to sleep. There was a woman who had a minor surgery and was pacing on the phone speaking so loudly and prevented me from sleeping. I don’t understand why people in hospitals cannot respect other people there. And I also don’t know why us as a country cannot have our own independent rooms instead of relying on the ‘privacy’ of a curtain.

Facetimers without headphones in public spaces are selfish self centred idiots

I'd have hidden it somewhere on day 1 and absolutely denied denied denied. It could mysteriously reappear as she's leaving.

Hope last night was better for your OP.

I'm still working as a Nurse, also qualified Midwife but haven't worked as a Midwife since 2006.

I was always strict about visitor numbers, timings and noise overnight.
The only times I had patients make complaints about me (& it was only twice, but still I remember) it was because I had politely asked their numerous extra visitors (meant to be only 2 per bed) to leave and take turns coming in, to leave as visiting had finished at least 30 mins before and for the woman to keep the volume down on her TV (or use the headphones that came with it) as it was after midnight (mobiles not really a thing then).

I got hauled up in front of our Midwifery Manager and asked to answer these complaints. Both times.

I'd do it again now.

We all need to be less selfish, and I'd agree OP to complain again if nothing changes. But I can see why some staff & patients might be reluctant. It certainly disillusioned me. You do your job and try and keep the ward as quiet and peaceful as you are able to under the unnatural circumstances and you get official complaints made about you. (Luckily not upheld in my case, as I had other staff as witnesses and I documented everything).

Though phones have good points i am fed up no matter where you go there are always people yapping away great to spoil things like if you are admiring something lovely like the poppies cascading from a church, this was a local craft make it was stunning i was admiring it but i did not need someone behind me going on and on about which pub to go to! opposite my shop is a Turkish barber between customers they stand outside holding their phones away from their face practically shouting at whoever is on the other side. its frustrating for me as I dont speak their language so I cannot even listen to some gossip !

What people are all describing is not a inevitable.
In many countries hospitals have rules like no phone use on wards, no loud talking at all including from staff, visitors required to be quiet and only allowed a few hours a day. (And certainly no fast food deliveries lol.)
It's not difficult to grasp that hospitals are places of healing and recuperation, not holding pens in a farmyard. As someone said upthread, if we could ban smoking in public places overnight, we could get a grip on this problem too?

I did something like this once.

My AirPod had no battery, but I didn’t realise and was playing music. I noticed people looking at me and realised what had happened.

it was so embarrassing. I always check now.

Nurses & midwives care, bet you are one of those on the phone.

Bet wrong then.

Do they though, or is it pendants who feel superior pulling people up for the slightest thing that doesn’t make a difference to the case in hand.

Just mention it to her nicely. If no action tell the Midwives and Nurses.
Get some ear plugs and / white noise

I really feel for you with this. I had the same last time I was in hospital and I asked the nurse if she would mind asking the lady to take the speaker off.
The conversation both ways was really unpleasant and very loud.
The nurse did ask politely was told very loudly and rudely to fuck off and mind her own business. I was given some earplugs which took the edge off but some people these days really lack basic manners and consideration for others.🙄