That being watched in hospital makes me feel uneasy

[Turnthebloodyheatdowninhospital]

Names changed inspired by the fact I am in hospital and they need to turn the bloody heat down. I nearly cried when the women next to the window closed it- Anyway

I am on the nicest quietest ward I have ever been on (heat aside) but I am in for a week so the seizures I have can be monitored. I am hooked up to a portable eeg so have these wires stuck on my head (not very comfy).
however the thing that is strange that in our bay there is nurse basically watching over us all the time. So she is sat there all night and keep looking from one of us to the other.

one the plus side everyone is lovely and quiet and no one is pretending they are a duck (last time I was in on another ward). No one is talking on loud speaker, the 2 ladies opposite me have headphones in watching something. The lady next to me is reading quietly (after handing out earplugs as she snores- bless her)

so all good. It’s quiet, it’s dark but having someone watching me is making me feel really weird. And I don’t feel I can sleep Would anyone else feel the same

I suppose the bonus is if I don’t sleep the seizures are more likely to happen

She is watching you and the others for your safety I would be grateful that staff are there especially what you are going through.

They're supposed to watch you, you're in hospital. Would you rather they didn't bother?

I am grateful and I totally understand but i just wondering if it would make anyone else feel strange.

I am not going to order her to leave.

It would make me feel grateful. 🙄

Did I say I was not grateful? I just said it made me feel strange and wondered if anyone else could relate.

I think I might quite like someone official being there if I was in a ward with strangers?

If they were properly staring, not so much.

You are in a hospital where the windows can actually be opened? Where is that???

I'm sorry you are in hospital. Considering the windows still open and they don't have a camera monitoring you, I assume its an older style ward where a nurse physically needs to sit in your bay, watching you? If you are hot, ask for a fan, but its not a guarantee they will have one, its PAT tested etc etc.

Ignore the judgey comments - it’s understandable to feel like that!

I hope you get the results and treatment you need.

It is an uncomfortable feeling but it is necessary. I hope you get some answers.

It’s not like it’s a big brother situation she’s not watching you because she’s bored or something. you are getting the care that is required in your case that’s a nurse who is sitting up all night for you all. some patients get left alone whilst nurses are seeing to other patients. I didn’t say you were being ungrateful I was saying be grateful that a nurse is available.

Surely though as you say yourself, you’re ‘there to be monitored’…
That’s not to say it isn’t a difficult situation and might make you feel weird, but then my experience of hospitals is that most of things they do to patients to test them or make them better are the sorts of things, given the chance, you’d rather not do: having bloods taken, endoscopies, catheters, MRIs, nil by mouth, drugs, surgery, etc., etc. Medics can do incredible things, but they are yet to invent a medical procedure that is enjoyable or even particularly comfortable.

I laughed out loud at the duck comment 🤣

Being watched would seem weird to me to, however the nurse is probably just staring into middle distance for now and thinking about their shopping list.

In all seriousness though, it’s always worth asking the question. She may absolutely need to be there as additional safety and monitoring, but she may also not need to be there in such an intense way and doesn’t realise how disruptive it is to your rest.

I’m a nurse and have to do this although with the elderly but can completely understand! We’d never want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, you’ll know it’s for safety reasons especially with seizures so I know you don’t need telling that that’s the reason. On my ward, we group the patients most confused or at risk of falls together so we can bay tag where possible which is high supervision but we also do the same when anyone’s got brain injury or prone to seizures but I do understand it’s out of the ordinary to have someone watch you sleeping

God, it sounds really difficult to me. I would find being watched really hard. I had sleep problems at one point and was supposed to sleep while being monitored at a sleep clinic, and I just couldn’t get to sleep!

I was in ICU a few years ago after major surgery and I had my own nurse at night who literally sat at the end of my bed. If I moved at all he immediately jumped up and asked me if I was ok!
It felt very strange but I did feel very cared for. The surgery was only 5 weeks after my cancer diagnosis and I was terrified.
When he stood at the side of my bed it felt like I was at the bottom of a well and was looking down at me from a great distance.
I blame that on the vast amounts of morphine I was on!!

Nope I wouldn’t like it. I’m an inpatient loads In hospital and the only time I sleep is when the curtains are closed. If someone was watching me I wouldn’t sleep.

Much, much better you have somebody watching over you than what happened to me in the middle of the night when I was in hospital: A very old lady got out of her bed and I awoke with her face in mine. I was in such a deep sleep. When I awoke, I didn’t know where I was or who the person was. It was so frightening.

Hospital wards can be a bit weird, especially at night. There are a lot of strange bleeping noises, various comings and goings, someone pops by every now and then to do your obs, there's a cannula in your hand or arm with who knows what going through it (obviously they tell you, but good luck remembering) and the presence of death isn't that far away. You aren't well and you really need to sleep, but again, good luck. So no, you aren't being unreasonable to feel uncomfortable and it's not surprising that discomfort is fixed on this particular nurse. You might even be noticing things more because you've won Hospital Lottery and been put on a nice, quiet bay rather than one seething with Chatty Cathys. But remember, the nurse is there for you and your bay mates and she's keeping you safe. Try to find an angle where you can't see her and close your eyes.

Not me but I may be unusual. I feel vunerable sleeping in a sort of public place, but having a nurse in the room is like having a "body guard" and gives me a sense of security. Hope your do sleep and your seizures soon can be controlled. .

My DF was admitted to hospital after a fall a couple of months ago. Double hip fracture. He has cognitive decline. He got out of bed twice in the middle of the night and fell & was found later. He is in a much worse state now. I wish someone had been watching him.

I can relate! I’ve had the same.

She’s probably there to observe you. I had to be admitted for a week of epilepsy monitoring and had eyes on me 24/7 until I was discharged. It was a bit odd, though my experience was slightly different. I (fortunately) had it done in the States and didn’t have to deal with wards and other patients. It was a private room with a camera so the person watching me was in another room instead of right there with me. They did speak to me once or twice through the camera when I was doing things I wasn’t supposed to. It felt a bit invasive the first day but after that it didn’t bother me. At least, not compared to all of the stuff glued to my scalp and the seven neurologists popping in at random. 😂

It’s definitely a boring time though. Hopefully you’re able to pass the time and they get the data they need. 💐

Oh bless you , completely understandable. There might be good reason , but doesn't mean that you feel comfortable with it .

Nurse doing her job. Whatever next?