Castle Visiting Etiquette

I just read a post-op post from a who complained about her roommate having too many loud visitors, getting cell phone calls in the middle of the night and just having one horrible time there. Can anyone give suggestions on how to handle these type of situations. You don't want to be a witch, but you need to get your rest too. What should you say to your roommate? What can I do if I'm not happy with a nurse? What can I do if I AM happy with a nurse? Keep curtain closed or open? TV on how late? etc. etc. etc.

I just want to be a good roommate and also be able to get the rest I need. You know that whole "do unto others" thing.

Would love to hear from anyone with hints or suggestions!

Thanks!

's and 's Luv, Jo

I had a terrible time after they took me to my room. My roomie was an older woman, right at first things were o.k. of course I was still into the pca pump and the curtain was pulled. Later that night she had two visitors that seemed like 200 to me. I guess her daughter and Grandson...they kept using her phone turning up th T.V to some stupid program... could not hear mine over hers so DH turned mine off. Then of all things... they used the patients bathroom I still had my Cath. but it's just wrong for a visitor to use the patients. I knew in the a.m. I would have to go in there.We kept the curtain pulled and I asked to walk the floor until they left. I had to just leave the room. About 1:00am she started to throw-up in her bed. I asked if she needed help and was ignored so I pushed the nurse button. I had to keep calling the nurse all night long FOR HER! I was so annoyed. Then I find out at some point during the night that she was in for a Resp. infection!!! I have terrible asthma and prone to lung infections. What a room to be put in post-surgery. I was discharged the next a.m. If I had to stay I would have demanded to be moved. Almost all nurses are great, But if you have one you dislike talk to a supervisor to be given a new one. It will all be over before you even realize that you're on your way home. Make the best of it. But don't put up with anything that makes you uneasy. Best of luck to you.

Hi- it was me with the bad roomate situation you refer to. I am not a complainer in general, but now looking back with my head alittle clearer I wish I had said something. What went on in there should not have been allowed- but you know the nurses saw some of it and never did anything about it. Whatever happened to the day when only 2-3 visitors were allowed at a time? This clan was rediculous- they even used our bathroom and had the nerve to complain about how small it was! I just kept thinking I'll be outa here the next day so don't say anything- Call me a wuss, but it would have been hard to buzz the nurse & have her come to the room for me to complain without the roomie or one of her "guests" hearing me. By the time Tuesday evening rolled around and we were both discharged the floor on her side had crushed oreos all over and there was trash from Burger King all over the place. You know whats funny now- was on Monday after getting there from recovery I was puking non stop, but you know what? I apologized to my roomate since she had to endure that- I felt bad for her! Had I known then what I was about to endure myself..... sorry to keep going on- I do wish you better luck than I had- but if you have to- be braver than I was & speak up!!!

StarBadooba, PRIVATE ROOM If not that, then if you get into a situation where you are disatisfied, by all means, call for patient representative. That's their job--to deal with things that you aren't satisfied with.

If you are very happy with a nurse, then you can write a note or call her supervisor or head of the nursing department. It would travel down the ladder to her/him. You can copy her/him as well.

TC

Without asking for-- or I think it was actually the 'norm' for this hospital, I had a private room. And the door to the hall was such if someone were to look in, all they could see was my legs. I had really good, attentive nurses. Also for a whopping 7 dollars (sarcastic), I was able to get cable shows (not HBO, but others, such as Lifetime!) and read my emails from yahoo.

I think, though, if I had a roommate and she/he or their visitors were disruptive, I would talk to a nurse. It is up to them, I think, to make sure the patients (all) are in a restful environment. (Meaning people using their 'library' voices).

PS-- The $7 from the additional TV services was (per my direction) billed directly to my house.!

I whined about my room mate on here too...she had guests long after the 8pm cutoff...more like 11:30 for hers. I wasn't happy, because one of her guests was pretty creepy...every time I looked up he was there standing at the foot of my bed. At some points leaning on the footrail.

And as if staying past 11 wasn't enough, they were BACK at 6am!! All of them, including Creepy Guy. Imagine what it's like waking up in morphine haze and Creepy Guy is at the foot of your bed!!

If I had it to do over, I would have made it clear that visiting hours end ON TIME!

Beth Ann
TAH/BSO

I wish I had know ahead of time how much more the private room cost. It would have been only $30 more a day, and given my experience, it would have been worth paying for it out my own pocket.

I had three roomates in 4days/3nights. First a very nice but needy elderly senior citizen who the nurses (and even her rude doctor) didn't want to deal with. Second a very nice woman with very over attentive daughters. (they kep pushing her to drink grape gatorade just after surgery.

I found out from the OR nurses that the third lady was deaf, but could read lips or sign. Wouldn't you expect the floor nurses and interns to know that too? No they kept yelling at her thinking she wasn't awake enought to hear them. I had to tell them she was deaf but could read lips. then they still yelled.

I also think my room was on the corner of grand central station, it was noisier at night then during the day! 2 fire alarms topped it off. By the third night I was crying to go home to my room, my bed, and my shower!

Best of luck, and don't let the horror stories get to you, just be prepared to be assertive! and before you know it you'll be back home

Hi

I am beginning to think that I am the only one who had a great experience with a roommate. We both were in for the same surgery and after we got to our rooms and were awake more we started to talk. We both asked each other about the other's habits and asked if this or that would bother the other. We talked for most of the three days we were in the castle together.

I can understand the other points of view, though, because during other surgeries and hospitalizations I had some rough roommates to deal with.

I just thought I would share my experience.

Sending you a big

Patty