Have you ever had a very disruptive hospital roommate ?

I’ve had two bad roomates in the hospital. One would masturbate in his bed, with no divider between us. The other kept asking me to tuck him in.

It could have happened to me but once the hospital found out what I had, I was quarantined.

No, but I know people who have. Complaining to the nurse and doctor is the way, which you have done. Squeaky wheel. Don’t be annoying, but check on the status the next day, don’t just wait silently. Your husband can’t rest, which is important for his health.

Maybe your next move should be to talk to the doctor & point out how all this turmoil is taking a toll on your husband’s heart or tell the nurses helping you that it doesn’t “have to” be a private room…just one with a better roommate. IF neither of those help, talk to the business office to see what can be done before all the turmoil becomes more of a disruptive stress on your husband’s heart. iF you’re persistent, they will complain about you behind your back; but they will also work harder to get you off their back!!! Just stay persistent & they will cave

When I was in the hospital from pulmonary embolism they put me in a room with another man. At first I thought, “Great I get to have someone to talk to.” But he was delirious and pretty much screamed all night. His poor wife never left his side while nurses and doctors worked on him all night. In the morning I was moved to a private room.

I was in the hospital about 11 years ago, in a room with an elderly lady who had problems eating and walking. She would be up in the night requiring the nurses’ attention. I’m a light sleeper and have trouble getting back to sleep, so this was very disruptive to my rest. I told the nurses that I understood it wasn’t her fault but I wasn’t sleeping at all. There was an empty room that opened up and I got it.

If you need to, speak to the head of the unit for some results.

If you need to, take your concerns higher up, like to the hospital administration.

Squeaky wheel definitely gets the oil.

A couple years ago, yes. Shared a room with a guy – he was OK but his girlfriend/wife was there almost 24/7 and she spoke too loud. Even her whispers were loud.

Honestly, I was so sick it really didn’t bother me that much. Eventually they moved the guy out because they determined that I had MRSA and he was at some risk.

I was in hospital for surgical procedure and at first only one in the room then the next day another older lady in next bed was having bowel movements ( diarrhea) constantly and had to be cleaned up every few hours day or night. She buzzed the nurses but not always there at the precise moments that she needed,I felt bad for her as she kept apologizing but I could do nothing to help her except to buzz as well?
Soon I was well enough to leave but not before talking to her awhile to get her mind off her medical issues. She was a pleasant women who needed closer attention than what she received. But they changed her medicine and soon she was able to sleep throughout the night, before I left.
By the way a solution for your scenario is to ask to be transferred to another room as this is easily accommodated, they just wheel your bed and belongings into another room. Talk directly with your Doctor about circumstances .

Oddly the 3 times I been in the hospital since 2012 I have always had a private room.
Could he ask for a different roommate rather than a private room?

I had a number of them when I was in the hospital for open heart surgery.
One had friends sneaking him in food, alcohol, and cigars. Another kept yelling “kill me!”
Another was given a laxative, and he made it as far as the bathroom door, which was next to my bed, before making a horrible mess. I had also just been given a laxative, and I suddenly had to go find another toilet.

I must look like trouble. I have never had a roommate

@elbanditoroso I have met so many people who had MRSA or knew someone who had MRSA and here you are, another one! A MRSA infection is what I had that made them quarantine me in the hospital.

Just plain threaten the hospital, or rather find the predatory law firm most notorious for costing the hospital money, and let it do the threatening.

Many years ago I had to go into hospital to have my appendix removed. After the operation I woke up in a ward containing approx 15 old men who had all had prostate operations, all of whom were snoring. farting and shouting. It was hell. The NHS nurses were slovenly and uncaring and the doctors were arrogant. After 2 days, I had had enough. I switched off the heart monitoring machine that I was connected to. I then removed the fluids catheter from my arm, got dressed and walked 2 miles to the bus stop and got the first bus home. The hospital were very annoyed but I just had to get out of there. It was intolerable and frightening. You have my sympathies.

@kritiper…my son gets MRSA sometimes.

When I was in my 20s I had a hospital stay for a couple of nights. I was warned that an elderly woman a few doors down had dementia and liked to wander around and crawl into bed with other patients.
That knowledge kept me wide awake and unable to sleep comfortably..

Update: We got him into a new room with a very quiet and polite roommate. The bad news is, that roommate is leaving today. Oh well, at least he got one good night’s sleep.
@phil630
We thought of doing that, but where we are, if that is done, insurance won’t pay for the bill. So we would be in a lot of trouble .

At least this is a step on the right direction. Maybe you’ve broken the bad roommate cycle & the next one will still be a good one!!!

@phil360 It must have been so awful for you! I can understand your actions. Sometimes to protect oneself, an individual must take measures not approved of by others.

Hope things went well for him

UPDATE: We survived and are back home!

@Dutchess_lll Back when I had my infection, 20% of all people who got it died. So don’t let your son get it more than 4 times, max. (The CDC reports that most people who get MRSA infections get it from another person who has a infection.)
I assume your son went to the hospital each time he got MRSA?

He just went to the doc and they prescribed antibiotics.
It’s a hazard of his job, part of which include plumbing and dealing with sewage . He’s 32 so I have no control over what diseases he gets.

Hopefully he’s wearing gloves and masks, @Dutchess_lll.

At work, I represent guys who work in sewage treatment and I don’t hear them getting MRSA.

Of course he does, along with long sleeves and pants.
He’s in matainence at an upscale retirement home.