The last time I was in hospital, I shared a room with a woman. She was a big talker, getting and making lots of cell phone calls. I was fresh out of surgery, and found all that yakking a bit disturbing.

But at least I had a bed, eh?

I don't think I would like it, especially if it were a semi-private.  I've seen it in a ward with two men on one side of the room and two women on the other.  That wouldn't be so bad.  But I think I would prefer another woman - unless we were too sick to be very mobile or to engage in much conversation.  

As far as talking is concerned - I find that men can be as chatty as women - and some women could drive me nuts.

Our hospital has coed for about a year now. In general, they try to avoid it, but we are often in a crunch. I dont like it and wouldn
T want to win a room with a Male stranger, especially if he is mobile and keeps walking by my bed.

Of course I'd share a room with my wife, or maybe even another female family member. Other than that, I wouldn't like it. I wouldn't want to share a room with a female stranger, especially if she was mobile and kept walking by my bed.

As far as I know here our hospital tries to keep the sexes separated, but if rooms were filled they would do what they had to I am sure. I have visited in hospitals in other communities though were the rooms were uni-sex. Personally, if I were a patient I would prefer not to share a room with a male.

As far as chat tines goes, we have one male friend and one male acquaintance who could chat circles around any woman I know.

ER rooms are co-ed and I never noticed an issue and there is little privacy there.

I probably would prefer to be in a same-sex hospital room; however, if it reduces costs by ensuring optimal fill, then it can be good.  

The local paliative care hospital had wards that were designed so everyone had privacy, it was actually surprisingly good.

And what about our friends who are transgendered. Hospitals can be a scary place.

Thankyou for bringing that up.  I'm ashamed to say that never occured to me.  Private rooms would be an easy solution if everyone could afford one.  But they aren't cost effective.    

The other solution would be to offer lots of privacy around the beds.   In our hospital the wards have four beds each, two on each side, with a wide space down the centre (for moving stretchers in and out, and medical staff to gather at the foot of the beds).   Perhaps a partial wall between the two beds on each side, in addition to the curtains might help define a patient's personal space - keep yourself, your belongings, and your visitors on your side.  

It depends.  Compared to the last time I was at the hospital, any room as long as I didn't have someone who was yelling at me or something like that would have been great.  Or a quiet corner with a desk.  I need a hard flat surface to mix my medications, and the water didn't drain like it is supposed to because the person helping me just clicked them together up in the air.  A stretcher with my binder on it while paramedics kept pushing people by wasn't ideal.

The last time I was in the ER for a long period of time (and not the waiting room), I didn't have a room.  I was in a little cubicle with curtains across from the nurses' station (doctors' station?).

My memory is vague from when I had surgery.  I think there were multiple people in the room, both male and female.  I wasn't there for long though, I don't think I spent the night although I'm not certain.

I would be ok with sharing a room with the opposite sex if I was just staying for observation overnight or something like that.  Longer and I would prefer the same sex although I would be ok with the opposite sex depending on the person.  If I was giving birth or had an invasive exam or something like that, then I would be uncomfortable with it.

This is such a sleezy question but does any sexual molesting take place in co-ed rooms?

I don't think it is a sleezy question, CrazyHeart.

It presumes heterosexual is the sole sexuality, ie, if you happen to be with someone of the same sex who is a creep that they wouldn't molest you..... We know that the % of folks who molest are really small, so the question is probably more of a fear than a probability.

What your question did spawn for me was does it improve behaviour?

Another one is does it impact those suffering from dementia?  Is it more logical / familiar to be in mixed gender rooms

I don't know the answer to these questions, but I wonder if some of those who deal with seniors might?

Were rooms made co-ed because there was more gender in the hospital than others? e.g. more women then men or visa versa?

In my experience chemgal  The actual birthing of babies takes place in either a delvery or birthing room (for hospital births). There are no other patients there and the room is specially equipped-in case more medical intervention is necessary.

Patients seem to prefer private-or semi-private room but these aren't always available.

I remeber 40 years ago when my mom broke her leg and was in the hospital in quebec. She was given a bedpan but need to tell staff to shut the cutians as the next bed was a young guy . (Come to think of it I'd want the cutians shut if it was a girl too)

Tabitha, I would be surprised to hear people giving birth sharing a room period.  Just giving some examples.  With a broken leg, I think I would be trying to get to the bathroom.  If not possible, privacy would be a requirement!

ah chemgal-before leg is set and casted  you would not be getting to a bathroom. Trust me on this one!

Depends if it needed surgery or not.  I went a week with a broken knee and no cast!  As long as I could get out of bed without putting weight on it, I would go to the bathroom!

1 bathroom and diarhea.......omg.

And by the way, after birthing these days you stay in hospital one day if you are lucky.

I should ask my wife. She's a PSW at a long-term care facility.

Newer hospitals today are building mainly private rooms - from an infection control & patient experience perspective, this is important.   In our new wing, the semi's have complete visual separation & the bathroom (which includes walk/roll-in shower) is shared between the two patients.  Rarely would they encounter one another.  There's actually a separate hallway bed for each - so it's almost like two privates.   Each room has a separate sink at the door for staff to use for handwashing.  Much better.   I think they do still endeavour to make the sides same sex. 

Some seniors in long term care facilities are much better off in private rooms - others prefer the opportunity for social interaction - but this assumes suitable matches of abilities can be made.  

Our hospital has all private rooms with shared washrooms.

A reason for private vs ward - besides personal preference.

Many years ago I was very ill - crohns.  I was hospitalized for two months.  IVs, blood transfusions, much of the time restricted to my bed.  

Living in Montreal - and poor.   I was put in a ward with about thirty beds - I think all female - all ages and various ailments.  And the poor nurses.  If someone rang for a nurse and she dared to poke her head into the room, a half dozen people would be calling "Nurse".   "Nurse, could you please help me .... "    Those closest to the door, or most aggressive, got the attention.  Those of us further from the door, and too weak to assert ourselves got very little.  I would ring (perhaps for a bedpan).  The nurse would come in, look after three or four requests from others, go back to her desk.  I would ring again.  Nurse in again, another couple of patients requesting attention, and she's gone.  I would ring again.  Nurse would come in scolding  "Who is doing all that continuous ringing?"   I wasn't getting better.

After a few weeks, I was moved to a smaller ward - only seven beds.  Sometimes between relapses, I was actually allowed up to our shared washroom.  But I still wasn't improving.

Finally I was moved into a small private room close to the nursing station.  And finally, with the nursing care I required, I got better and was able to return home to my two small children.  

The short answer to co-ed rooms would be 'whatever is needed to aid in the care and recovery of the patient'.   A bed anywhere is preferable to a stretcher in the hallway of the emergency room.   And a bed in a co-ed ward with four beds is preferable to a bed in a thirty bed ward.  

What I would prefer would be not to be in the hospital at all - but home with my family.  

Hi crazyheart,

I have no problem with it.  I would not be surprised that others would and I think that there is a potential for a lawsuit down the road.

Well, it is better than a stretcher in the hall and I've seen that more than I care to.  No curtains and no privacy.

But at least they have a bed right?

The cost of hospitalization keeps going up and up and up.  We should consider ourselves luck to even have hospitals.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Ist es nicht beinah ein Verbrechen,

Wenn Menschen wie die Bücher sprechen?

Doch reich und fruchtbar sind für jeden,

Die Bücher, die wie Menschen reden.

-Eugen Roth

(Is it not almost criminal

When people talk like books?

But rich and fruitful for everyone

Are books who talk like people.)

Working with the elderly, this is what I've noticed. A lot of older women prefer their doctors to be men and the nurses/PSW's to be women with some within that number wanting their doctors to be women also. Also I could see where this arrangement would put some cultures in complete disagreement. The other consideration is that when you're sick you're sick and in that moment not many would care as long as they are being attended to.

Personally, I'm not crazy about it, but I doubt it would become a big issue. I just wish they had a better divider rather than a "sheet" that is pulled between the clients. I find it annoying that when the doctor comes in for a consultation, whoever is on the other side gets to hear also.

Personally, I prefer doctos who are women. I can't imagine that I'll change in that preference when I'm a senior (a day rapidly approaching). I have to find a new doctor, and if she isn't female I'll cross her off the list. I already have a female eye doctor, barber, and dentist. Physician will be next.

A list?  How many do you usually have a choice between?

Hospitals used to always segregate by sex. When I was a student nurse the hospital had a separate floor for female surgery and male surgery .....

And yet ICU and CCU were always mixed.

Eventually I think staff recognized that type of illness is more important than sex, and often age is too.

So two patients having ortho surgery are more alike than a man having ortho and another man having his prostate out......

Newer hospitals are moving towards individual rooms for alott of reasons. Though as a staff member it is easier to have two in a room as you can check on two at the same time (sort of)

Crazyheart, you and I live in the same city and we have never met each other except through WonderCafe.

All this is getting rather complicated and I need a little time to think things over.

I wonder how much that contributes to mistakes though.  I would think it would be easier to separate two patients in the same room in your mind if they have very different procedures.

For a start I guess that how I felt about sharing a room with a woman would depend quite a bit on how the woman felt about the situation.

The old order is changing.

In my opinion co-ed hospital rooms would no longer be an issue unless there was a history of molestation.

Just for the record-the latest hockey molestation in this neck of the woods was female to female-it went to court and coach was found guilty.

Not sure if co-ed room would increase molestations or not.

naman.......hahahahah....maybe will meet in a co-ed room.

I really hope that if crazyheart and naman have to meet in a co-ed room it is not a hospital co-ed room, but some other kind of co-ed room, as I don't want to see either one in a hospital for any reason ,

If my hubby and I both had to be in the hospital for some reason at the same time, I would like to be in the same room as him - so co-ed would work for me in that situation. 

.
Hospital mistakes are because of a breakdown in routine and not because you mix up patients visually.
.

You are always to identify patients by both checking their hospital ID and saying "hi mr smith, I have your enema here....." If it is mr jones, he will say that and then you also check his bracelet.
.

If patients have similar surgeries there are efficiencies. Similar supplies on the floor, easy for Physio to move from patient to patient rather than floor to floor, easier for docs to do rounds which ultimately speeds up access to OR's. But it also allows the staff to become good at the care. If you have four patients on the floor in various stages of recovery from open heart surgery or knee replacement surgery you understand the work required and get faster at it.
.

Even things like meds will go quicker. You know the hundred or so common meds used for your area of expertise well and so don't have to look them up before giving them.
.

I was once transferred to ICU because they were short handed. I was given a patient recovering form open heart surgery. None of the meds were ones I used in NICU so I spent at least half our with the CPS checking them for side effects.......

.
Plus staff like some areas more than others. Knee surgery. Likely to be youngish patients, in relatively good shape, eager to recover and do Physio.

Medical floors will attract a different type of nurse. Perhaps someone more interested in helping patients manage their transition to a level of poorer health or better health.
.
Obstetrics has a different appeal.

Paediatrics......

.
It really helps when nurses understand their strengths and weaknesses and then look for the right kind of floor. Some require much more hands on, some are very heavy lifting floors , some are very sad, some are heavy on hey he need for communication.......

.
All nurses have the same set of skills but we all have areas that we enjoy working in more than others.

lastpointe - thanks for your detailed explanation.  I had the same feeling - patients with similar needs grouped in the same area.  But I'm not a medical person - you know what you are talking about and speak from experience.

Lastpointe, I think the current way makes more sense.  I just think there might be a potential con.  Yes, everything should always be checked.  I've personally seen that it's not always done though.  When two patients are very different, I think it's easier to keep details separated in the mind so when there is a mistake on paper it's more likely to be questioned.

Gender differences in one room might also help with that.

As an example, today there were 2 people with the same first name.  The wrong person went with a nurse because of it.  Similarities contribute to mixups.

Certainly errors occur. But it is because staff has slipped up on the proper way to do things.

.
That is an issue for the nurse manager to address.

.
The story of patients getting the wrong surgery is always because staff do not triple check ID

.

When giving meds. You check the med against the order, the patient against the bed name tag, the wrist band on the patient and a verbal acknowledgment.
.

If all those things are done a mistake doesn't happen.
.

If the nurse instead gives the med to the man in the first bed because that is who was there yesterday then mistakes happen. Patient in wrong bed, patient has changed rooms, patient is wandering and another wandering patient has sat down......
.

And patients really are pretty different. Even if they both had hip replacements. They are different. Ages, sex, size, disposition, family, appearance, language, race, doctor surgery date...... I don't think I have ever mixed up a patient, even babies who of course, look quite a bit alike in general

There are a number of doctors in my area of Toronto, and from what I've heard more than one of them is open to accepting new patients.

All doctors don't treat all things.  For the program I am currently in, there is one doctor in the province.  Canada's health care system(s) doesn't encourage travelling to another province just because you want a doctor of a certain gender.

Right, so for you it makes sense to go see that one doctor. However, for me I have a choice.

For a short time when my family and I lived in small town Alberta there was only one doctor in town. He was a good guy. Diagnosed my son's allergy to sunlight.

Just curious Jae - why do you prefer a woman doctor?

Thanks seeler, I wanted to ask that too?

I'm surprised that you often have that choice.  When I go to the ER, it has never occured to me to request a doctor of a certain gender.  Depending on the issue, that may or may not be possible.  When it comes to a referral, I think my referring doctor wouldn't be happy with me making a request like that, getting into the first available specialist is more important.  Jae, as you also have at least one chronic health condition, I'm surprised to hear you bring up the choice.

Can't speak for Jae, but the best family physician I ever had was a woman. Practiced with two other docs (1 man, 1 woman) so she had backup when she went on vacation or was otherwise unavailable. Fantastic bedside manner but serious when she needed to be. Did my wife's pre- and post-natal care in collaboration with an obstetrician that she partnered with and did my son's early care as well. Alas, once we left Hamilton, she wasn't an option anymore. Our previous family doc in Hamilton was a man and a bit of an a-hole. The guy we have in London isn't my fave but he's been doing pretty well over the years. Our son sees a pediatrician who we are quite happy with (but that is coming to an end soon). I haven't looked for a doc since getting in with the current guy, but this city has (oddly enough for a city with a medical school and teaching hospital) a longstanding shortage of family docs that, as far as I know, still persists.

Mendalla

In an emergency situation, I don't think I'd ever make such a request. Most of the times when I've been taken to an ER, I've either been out cold anyway.

What I'm talking about is choosing a general practitioner.

Good question seeler. I like the idea of a woman taking care of me more than I do a man taking care of me. I'm sure there are good doctors who are women, and good doctors who are men. I prefer the female ones.