17 Responses to “Do You Think Hospital Staff Exercise Discretion When Deciding Who To Kick Out At The End Of Visiting Hours?”

1. Well, said Alberto Says:
   July 13th, 2009 at 5:31 pm

   Sometimes, if they can.

2. Annette M Says:
   July 13th, 2009 at 9:32 pm

   If a family is being disruptive then I don’t think they would wait till the end of visiting to ask them to go as they will be acting on the interests of patients. I thin keach ward has it’s own limit for how long after visiting they allow people to stay but people need to remember that although they are there to see their loved ones, they are in hospital for a reason and the nursing staff have routines to follow 24 hours a day. Medication can’t be given when a visitor is on a ward.
   Generally in a maternity ward though a patients partner is allowed to stay however long they want these days as it helps the partner to bond with the baby and the maternity unit can answer concerns for both parents. That’s what it is in my maternity ward according to the literature that they have given me.

3. doggy_du Says:
   July 13th, 2009 at 11:22 pm

   In general the posted visiting hours are a guideline to be convenient for the staff as far as fewer people in the way say at mealtimes unless aid from a visitor may be ok’d for some. Most hospitals have done away with no visiting during meals.
   The hours are a rule not a law and even though they are a set rule ther is the letter of the rule to be strictly followed and the spirit of the law as to its reason for being there in the first place. Basically what it boils down to is this,…
   …. the rule is there if the staff has to use it. The discretion is in whether or not proximity of patients will be bothered by visitors after certain hours and also the degree of illess the patient with visitors has. I have let people stay on my ward with a patient as a visitor as long as the folks nearby did not object and they were of extremely considerate demeanor to the staff, patients, each other ….etc.
   It is like a ‘no drinking in the park’ laws. If a cop sees a family having a bbq in the park and there is a beer on the table with no unacceptable activity or other such misdemeanor it is likely that in the spirit of the law being to maintain a safe and less disorderly environment for park visitors he will not enforce the law by its letter. he may or may not have contact with the folks. on the other hand if he sees the same family drinking and getting rowdy and loud or acting beligerent whether due to alcohol or not he has the letter of the law to stand up to and back him up in his enforcement which in essence sustains the spirit of its reason for having been drafted as a law.

4. Nemesis Says:
   July 14th, 2009 at 4:35 am

   When last in hospital -(June 07 – for 3 weeks)- I found the staff very flexible. If there were any ‘visiting hours’ – they were discretely ignored/dispensed – as relatives & friends travelled long distances – all hours of the clock. “2am -10 pm” – made no difference – and no complaints were registered if I had 6 visitors and 2 staff in my rather small side-ward.
   Unlike another hospital – some 25 miles away – where a dear friend of mine was dying. We were told several times we were breaking the rules – the visiting hours – but we both stuck middle fingers up in the air – and buzzed off when ordered not to, to tour the corridors – in search of cafes serving better food dished up on the ward.
   (Food at my hospital was excellent.)
   So it varies a lot – one of my sons is a senior nurse and was once given an ‘official reprimand’ for unprofessional conduct.
   Some visiting lout had not only threatened violence against a junior nurse – he was also causing a lot of noise – disturbing other patients nearby. Large son told said lout –
   “If you carry on like that …..”
   Needless to say – the lout was allowed to leave, scott free, but my son was given a formal warning – for threatening language.
   Seems to be the way it goes nowadays.
   Political correctness – run amok – the lunatics now controlling the asylum – because our no blame/ no responsibility ‘society’ would seem to indicate – if greedy lawyers are to be trusted.

5. always right Says:
   July 14th, 2009 at 10:02 am

   Discretion isn’t the right word I’m afraid. Fear could have something to do with it. Whilst on the Maternity ward earlier this year, as the father I had the right to be there all the time and witnessed chav families have so many visitors whenever they liked making as much noise as possible, yet polite quite people were turned away. If you are aggressive and argue you get your way, if your polite and compliant you get your orders.

6. dave s Says:
   July 14th, 2009 at 4:04 pm

   Nope. I was quiet as a mouse, and was asked to leave 3 times ……….. and because of the circumstances, it was a 4 hour round trip back to home, I promptly went out to the car, drove to a side street round the hospital, and slept in the car till visiting times the next day and went straight back to the ward.
   The whole system is a nonsense. Its not like I wanted a bed either, I would have just slept on the floor next to the bed. Or even if they had to kick you out, fair enough, but not to some ridiculously strict timeline.
   In short, if you are a dad and going to have a baby, make sure she delivers at 9am ……………not 9pm ………….

7. Bob the Boat Says:
   July 14th, 2009 at 5:31 pm

   Hi Skidoo.
   I think you are correct in noticing that if a large family are hanging around, they are ushered out, but a lone Father can probably hang around.
   I had this with the birth of our first son in hospital. (The second one was a home birth, and much more family-condicive)
   Both were born under-water, so I managed to float in warm water, partially asleep, as it was about 3:00 am, whilst he was weighed & checked.
   We then had our 1st family breakfast together.
   Jack on breast milk, Hazel on a bacon sarnie, and me on a Cornish pastie.
   It was great in terms of bonding, so I wish the Health Trusts could accomodate more new families like that.
   Bob

8. xxxwales Says:
   July 14th, 2009 at 11:44 pm

   i had to complain & argue for over a hour to be alowed to stay when my feance was took into hospital at 10pm around 1am i was told i had to leave my feance was in a ward where she was the only female with 7 men i there in the end they let me stay in a waiting room opersit with the door open so i could look in and i still got asked to leave twice after that it took my feance to try and sign herself out because she was scared about what could happen to her as she was given a lot of pain killers and keep falling into a deep sleep

9. Indiana Says:
   July 15th, 2009 at 12:21 am

   Unfortunately some hospital staff don’t have that word in their vocabulary. When I took my father in-law to the hospital they tried to remove both me and my wife, never mind the fact he only had minutes to live. I don’t know about others but I refuse to be pushed around by any hospital staff.

10. Emily Hobhouse Says:
    July 15th, 2009 at 5:02 am

    When I had my babies, everyone was kicked out. One dad whose wife was in the next bed kept on sneaking back in, and he was a real pain. They whispered and talked for hours, keeping us all awake. And it also made us self conscious – we wanted to ask the midwives and nurses personal questions and it does make you think twice about answering honestly, if the midwife asks if you’ve “done a poo yet?” or “how are your nipples?” within earshot of someone elses’s husband.
    I want my own man with me, but not anyone else’s!
    I think if you want to be with your wife, pay for a private room.

11. michael w Says:
    July 15th, 2009 at 9:51 am

    I think that anyone who has spent some time in a hospital, as I have. would agree that the staff on the whole do a wonderful and difficult job. All visitors are not like Dave S who says he was as quiet as a mouse. ? Hell, he never stops rabbiting.!!!!

12. Chipmunk Says:
    July 15th, 2009 at 3:10 pm

    No I don’t think they do. From my experience everyone was asked to leave at the end of visiting time regardless of how quiet or loud they were. Can you imagine the stink people would kick up if they were told to leave while others were allowed to stay?

13. baptism_ Says:
    July 15th, 2009 at 9:37 pm

    YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT. THERE IS FAVORITISM WHEN IT COMES TO BENDING POLICIES AND RULES AT THE HOSPITAL.

14. J?E?M Says:
    July 16th, 2009 at 3:49 am

    it does goon for definate, when i had my daughter the other dads were sent home except mine cos the midwife lived down our street its not right but i didnt complain!

15. No Picture Says:
    July 16th, 2009 at 5:20 am

    there is no such thing as an impartial human being, so yes im sure they do to some extent

16. scrooge Says:
    July 16th, 2009 at 6:10 am

    you bet ye.

17. ??????? ???? ©® ??? Says:
    July 16th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    hospital staff dont know what discretion is

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