BEWARE!!! All Hospital Rooms are now co-ed, Unisex

abbadoodles

We all can get touchy from time to time and I think we all make allowances for that. 

Maybe it's more accurate to say that the particular hospital in question has a co-ed policy.  I've never heard of this in the U.S. but, then again, maybe no one has bothered to mention.  I know I've never been in a co-ed room; in fact, I've had private rooms almost every time I've been in except for the mx and that was for less than a full day, during which I only had a roommate (female) for about 2 hours in the middle of the night.  I hated being awakened with all the rucus.

One of the worst things is feeling out of control, especially when you are in such a vulnerable position.  If I could kiss it and make it better I would but we'll have to be satisfied with an "I feel for you."  Best wishes.

CapeBretongirl

Dear Beesie,  There is no need to apologize,  I understood your post, your points were valid.  Thank you   Angel

Welga

ymb,

After lumpectomy I woke up in a room with 3 mens. Felt awfull. As I was only staying overnight I did not ask to be changed, my second operation was in another hospital where I shared a room with a lady. So don't know about the policy here in Quebec. I feel for you!! how embarassing!!

cherneski

OMG!  To all of it! 

I am so sorry. 

I must tell you I love the way you write.

Hugs

konakat

You were definitely not a prude!!!!  I know I'm not a prude and I'd have been horrified to get the treatment you got.  Those nurses should be ashamed of themselves.  I also think you should follow up with letters to the people you called -- something in writing has a big impact!  Go get 'em YMG!!!!

Anonymous

What REALLY ticked me off about the one time wasn't so much that there was a man in my room, but after laying there listening to the conversation between he and his wife I realized he had been drinking and driving and caused an accident where he was thrown through the windshield.  His face was unrecognizable and he had to talk loudly because his jaw was wired shut.

They ended up blabbing until about 10:30 or 11:00 at night and after asking the nurses to "please enforce the 8:00 visitation over hours" with no luck, I asked for something to knock me out.

I got it!

Edited to Add:  I am sorry for your experience though...that was unexcusable!

Leah_S

Angel, I agree with those who advised you to file a formal complaint.There is no excuse for the way you were treated.

When you think about it, if the hospital policy is that it will allow for coed rooms if it is unavoidable, there should not be more than ONE AT A TIME. Why? Think - someone comes up from surgery (and they don't find that out 5 minutes before the patient is brought up, either) and the only bed is in a room with someone of the opposite sex. There is already one coed room. MOVE ONE OF THOSE PATIENTS FOR HEAVENS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leah

barbe1958

Kind of like the question: if you have black socks and blue socks, how many do you have to pull out of the laundry basket before you are guarantted to make a pair? THREE!

CapeBretongirl

The Chief Operating Officer of Victoria Hospital, just called me. We spoke at length regarding my difficulties at LHSC. He told me the rooms at LHSC have been co-ed for a few years. They will first put females with females, but also males with females, is common. He didn't realize that this information wasn't in any info in respect to the hospital. The foremost that will transpire is: The Patient Information Handbook, Pre-Admission and Day Surgery Program Pamphlets, will be altered. They will assert that patients being admitted to the hospital may conceivable have to share a room with the opposite sex. My privacy issues were also addressed. He was surprised. Managers in Surgery, Nursing and Staff will be addressed. We both agreed that de-sensitivity to privacy was the dilemma. We talked about a sensitivity course being established. We will proceeding shortly on this.

I mailed a letter to him, stating everything that happened during my stay, at the hospital. Cc of course to a few legal individuals. I did tell him that if I didn't get satisfactory results from him, I would proceed legally, include media, Government and opposition parties (to balance the subject-matter) I am determined to make sure this never happens to anyone else. 

Thank you my sisters for all your feedback

Thank you Abbadoodals,    Welga, I'm sorry that happened to you,  I know how you feel.  Cherneski, Thank you.  And I am so flattered that you like the way I write   Konakat,  Thank you for addressing my original question, It nice not to be a prude.  How bout I try en get em, lol?     Sige,  Oh Sige,  I bet you just wanted to jump out of bed and finish the rest of him off with the bed pan.  That really was a horrible experience.    Leah_s  Thank you.     Barbe1958   lol,  I can't wait to meet you at one of the Ontario get togethers.  I'm looking forward to it.   SherriG                                              Angel

CapeBretongirl

Thank you Tupelo       Angel

mke

Well, there you go ymb - you made a difference.  Good for you.  Amazing what one articulate squeeking wheel can do.

But it isn't as simple as black and blue socks.  When a patient changes from one room to another there are a lot of adjustments, patients are not socks and a whole lot of details have to be attended to and someone has to do them and those someones need to be paid.  Co-ed rooms when required are a cost saving measure.

barbe1958

I wasn't suggesting patients get moved, that was someone else. I was just saying that you can match the sex on the third patient.

konakat

Way to go Angel!!!  You will have made a difference to how things are done in the future.  Excellent!

CapeBretongirl

Thank you mke. You are absolutely correct. The bottom tier is what is most cost efficient. It originates and concludes with cost-effectiveness.

mke

You can only match the sex with the third patient in one shot if all other things are equal - not isolation, surgical versus medical, level of care, etc.  These things affect staffing levels and that can't be changed at a moments notice when another patient is admitted.  It really isn't simple, there are a whole lot of factors. 

At least it was easy when we were having babies.  But the way things are going that might change too.

Anonymous

I just wanted to jump in and say KUDOS!  You did the right thing, and hopefully you will help other people not to have to go through what you did. 

Things may have changed here where I live.  However, a few years ago I (a female with one boob NOW) could not stay with my dad overnight because his roommate was a man.

I would not have been a happy camper if a man was my roommate.  In fact, I'd have been horrified and demanded another room.  I think they need to find another way to find cost-effectiveness. 

Welga

Not sure how to write this but cost-efficient does not mean that our hospital stay has to turn into a peep show for anyone that is passing by our bed like poor ymb has had to endure. Like others have said, it's great that with thoses writing qualities and that determination you are speaking up, wich I had that courage.

CapeBretongirl

Dear Welga;  I absolutely appreciate the compliment. You flatter me. But, I am extremely uncertain in regard to my penmanship proficiency. As for speaking up, I just have a very big mouth. Frequently, you'll notice my foot in it. You are right, I was in a peep show. It was a reality exhibition. The involuntary star was the deeply mortified Angel.   Thank You (((Hugs))) Angel

jrfergusonpa

Ymb--

I am glad that you wrote the hospital administrator.  The issue of your privacy was as important as your pain and healing.  I didn't contact the hospital after my husband's infection pain relief was not addressed for 2 days.  I should have.  

 my husband was admitted to a vancouver hospital after a cruise with high fever and pneumonia.  He was in a 4 bed ward room with 2 women and another man.  after only being exposed to US hospitals and medical protocols, I was shocked at first by the casual attitude of the canadian hospital, but the doctors and nurses knew their stuff and got him healthy.  I was told that patients deemed as not requiring intensive care were assigned on a "first come, first serve" basis to the rooms available.  Gender was not an issue unless the patient made it one.  An elderly lady was moved when she became irrate about sharing with men.

but then he didn't go thru a traumatic surgery like yours.  When I chose a hospital for my surgery I deliberately chose a women's hospital.  Not to say that men aren't admitted, but 90% of the patient population is female.  Somehow in this new stage of my life, I am comforted by that fact.  also the softness of the building (colors and textures) is comforting.  I was told by another BC survivor that she received treatments at another cancer hospital in PGH (a world famous one) and had male radiation techs which she found disquieting.  The staff that I work with is all female.  I find it comforting too.  

It is a amazing the little things that effect us the most in this time of change in lives.

I hope that you are healing now and will continue to work with the hospital to make the lives of future BC patients better. 

barbe1958

I don't know if an all female hospital would make me comfortable if I was exposed as ymb was! I don't think anyone should have to lie like that and honestly, if I saw someone exposed I would march right over and drape them. I, too, have a big mouth and it gets me in all kind of trouble, but seeing a knocked out patient like that just isn't humane. Doesn't matter what sex is looking, it's not for anyone to see.

Again, shame on the nurses!