splash62

Mixed wards

Posted on 06/13/09, 07:50 pm

I know hospitals are all about efficiency and saving costs, but when in hospital recently I felt uncomfortable with having men and women in the same ward. I really didn't need the old guy in the next bed to be peeing into his bottle only 6 feet away from me and the curtain didn't help. Opposite me, behind the curtain but you could hear everything, a woman was evacuating her bowels into a bed pan after an emena. I was friendly to the guys and chatted, but when I'm in pain and helpless I would prefer a women only ward.
Am I old - fashioned?

• Reply #1 06/15/09  6:51pm
  
  coden23
  Noooo you aren't old-fashioned at all!! I'm 26 and I work in a hospital where mixed wards are unheard of. I'm sorry that you had that experience; I didn't even realize that there were places like that. I'd have a hard time doing my business myself--I've got a thing about people listening while I'm going haha.
• Reply #2 06/16/09  9:21am
  
  Lizzie
  But you also complain about the woman opposite and her bowels - she would still be there in a women only ward. You would still hear all the horrible hospital sounds. Could you please explain how a women only ward would be different or better in that respect? Women make just as digusting sounds when our bodies are in distress, as you even mention yourself.
• Reply #3 06/16/09  11:52pm
  
  splash62
  I didn't mind at all what was happening to the woman and her bowels. I was putting myself in her place and knew that if it was me I would feel embarrassed at it happening in front of strange men, whereas with women I wouldn't feel embarrassed, it would be us women in this all together.
• Reply #4 06/17/09  4:08am
  
  Lizzie
  Oh right, I see. You weren't complaining about the woman, you were feeling embarrassed on her behalf. I misunderstood.
  
  I kind of get what you mean. But when I have been in hospital I have been precoccupied with being ill and trying to get better as soon as I possibly can to get out of there. I have not particularly worried about whether other patients around me are male or female. There is a limited amount of money here in the UK, where the health service is funded by taxes. I would rather my taxes went towards well trained, expert staff and the best drugs, rather than providing extra wards or rooms for different genders. And what about transgender people who get sick? If hospital wards were divided into men and women, where would they go? Thats just my opinion though.
• Reply #5 08/17/09  6:51am
  
  Trakaias
  Well I personally believe in unisex bathrooms, which by default (for myself personally) means that I'm all for Mixed wards.

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