Exhausted!

[Aingeful]

Still in hospital and not slept for two nights! Main reason is a woman with mental problems that they have moved into the ward.I'm in a 3 bedded medical ward.She just talks to herself literally non stop,never seems to sleep. Conversations with an imaginary friend and she got aggressive with me when I begged for a bit of peace.The nurses seem to be able to do nothing, she doesn't take any notice of them. In my opinion, special needs adults need to be in a different ward and i intend to complain. Im so exhausted and stressed I dont know where to put myself!

[Suzie42]

so sorry for you know exactly what you are talking about. I worked on an acute medical ward for 25 years and every so often a patient with mental problems would come in. The problem is if they have a medical problem they need to be in a ward like yours, but obviously a single room for her would be best. Most hospitals haven't the capacity or single rooms to accommodate this unfortunately.

In my experience it is not the nurses fault it is the bed managers responsibility. While i was working as a ward clerk i often tried helping patients like you. One way would be to contact PALS, ask a nurse to do it for you, or phone yourself. Sometimes there is a solution.

I wish you better and some much needed peace and silence xxxx

[Caspiana]

Hello Aingeful. That must be very stressful. I would ask to talk to the matron if there are indeed any more of them nowadays. Also earplugs can be very effective. Obviously the lady in question needs special help. Hospitals are not the quietest places as it is. I hope it is resolved soon. Sending love. xx ❤️

[sassy59]

How stressful Aingeful. There won’t be much staff can do to keep the lady quiet other than move her. There’s probably no room elsewhere. As Caspiana says, try earplugs. I use them every night because Pete snores.

I’m wishing you a restful sleep and home to your own bed soon.

Love and hugs, Carole xx ❤️

[Alberta56]

So sorry to hear this. I know what it's like. Even if you're a fairly sound sleeper as I was once it's impossible to ignore. I hope you can get something done about it- you need your sleep. xxx

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

I hope it will be sorted soon and you cam get some sleep. Bless that poor woman she must be so confused. Have a good day and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx 🌻🌻

[JJ_7]

The Hospital has a duty to ensure that disruptive patients are isolated from other ill patients. Ask them to place her in a single room and speak to your doctor at the next ward round.

I have also had this with a disruptive patient and I banded together with 2 fellow patients and the person was removed to a single room.

Good luck xxx

[Suzie42]

lets hope you go home soon for rest

[SORRELHIPPO]

I am sometimes the disruptive one. Post anaesthetic I can take hours to come round and have nightmares. The last time i had surgery I kept a ward awake for about 9 hours, mainly screaming my head off as I was dreaming about being strangled and stopping breathing. Apparently the staff could not leave me down in recovery for all that time, as not room for many in the recovery area. Felt very guilty.

[Blackbird9 in reply to SORRELHIPPO]

Not your fault anaesthetics do strange things to the mind and body..

Im not the model patient myself after anaesthetic so have every sympathy for you ..

Apparently one of the times after i sat up in bed singing Donny Osmond songs 🎵 thought i was him as i said strange things ..

It works for some just not others and i knew everyone around me as it was my team members who operated and recoverd me 🙈

[JJ_7 in reply to SORRELHIPPO]

You were temporarily loud during recovery. We would all have tried to comfort you if you had been in the unit I shared. Its the patients who have intractable dementias or pychosis who are misplaced in general population who are the problem. Ocassionally you get criminal types but nurses generally know how to identify and monitor.

[Bevvy]

That’s really difficult for all concerned. I know that hospital’s are impossible to sleep in, even without problems with other patients. I have been an inpatient twice and on both occasions left (with medical ok) prior to recovery due to getting barely any sleep. I was absolutely desperate to rest /sleep and unable to get either whilst on the ward.

I really feel for you Aingeful and 100% understand your expiration at the situation. I hope you are able to be discharged soon where your recovery can really take place, in the calm and comfort of your own home.

[garshe]

I hope this resolves itself soon Sheila.

I think Mental Health patients should be in special wards . It must be so stressfull for you ,something you dont need when recovering. Also not having your sleep will set you back.

I pray🙏 you will be discharged soon and home to your own bed and peace and quiet.🤞

My thoughts are with you xxSheila 💕💕⚘

[Aingeful]

Well reporting to the nurses yesterday was successful! I was visited by a doctor who explained his plan for us all He is going to do his best to speed up the tests I need,blood tests,scans etc with a view to getting me home quicker. They were checking on the new patient a lot more frequently therefore meeting her needs as and when she needed them. This meant she didnt get hysterical screaming for the nurses.They also sent someone to feed her etc,before they were just plonking her food and drink down and she wasnt really capable of sorting herself out. All in all,she is now a lot quieter and calmer,a win,win for both of us. My daughter also brought me ear plugs! 😀 I managed a few hours sleep at last!

.

[Digger0]

I was given ear plugs when a noisy patient was admitted! I always take an iPod in with me with audiobooks and listen to them at night, on low volume - helps my tinnitus as well!

[Mooka]

glad you managed a few hours sleep last night. This lady had been on every ward I have ever been in. Unfortunately there are so many nowadays. I had one who thought she was on a cruise ship. Trouble is it never got much further than tilbury. I hope you get home to your own bed soon.

[Aingeful in reply to Mooka]

This lady thought that I was her hairdresser and keeps asking me if I still do makeup and nails!

[Dollcollector]

I was in this position too. The nurse that l mentioned it to was angry with me and said that the woman couldn't help it. I know that but there should be a separate ward for these patients. I was very ill and needed my sleep.

[Alberta56]

I'm glad this was sorted in the end. It sounds as if it could have been resolved earlier if the other lady's needs had been attended to. I was in a 4 person cardiac ward once, where one of the other patients was an old lady with a broken arm, not cardiac at all, but they had nowhere else to put her. She kicked off in the night, stating that she was going to go home and trying to get out of bed. As she was mega unsteady on her feet, this was a bad idea and it was muggins who had to try to restrain her' in spite of the fact I was under strict orders not to exert myself. Very glad when the night staff arrived. They found a new place for her, then they put a lady on dialysis in our ward. Dialysis machines are just a tad noisy.(Absolutely deafening in fact.) We had to ask them if it could possibly be switched off at night. Oh the joys of hospitalisation.

[winnabago]

That is not right for either one of you.

[pickingflowers4u]

Sorry to hear of your dilemma. The same thing happened to me. A woman constantly screamed "no!" I began to wish she would eventually go hoarse. Unfortunately she didn't. It's an unmanageable situation for the staff and torture for patients. Hope it soon stops. Feel for you.