Is this bad ER etiquette?

Question

I was in the Emergency Waiting Room waiting on my mom to get done talking to my grandmother that was in the ER Room and I was by myself for an hour. There was no one there untill a young lady (in her late 20s) came in with her mom. MIND YOU there was no one there till she came in. So she sat beside me, looked straight at me and laid down. Her mom came back with a blanket then left again. When she returned, she had a puke bucket. (I know this was THE ER) but why did she have to sit next to me when there was no one else in the room? Soon as her mom brought the puke bucket, she looked at me again. I got up and moved after her mom left the third time. Being that there was no one there, was it bad form on her part to sit next to me when she could've sat in other areas?

Answer 1

Yes, but when you are sick you aren't thinking about others.  I would have moved the minute that her mom brought the bucket in.

Answer 2

Yes, it was bad form on her part. The ER's here have signs stating that if you have something such as the flu or a bad cough, to request a mask. Of course she was vomiting but the point is, if you think you're contageous stay the h**l away from everyone.

Answer 3

Sigh...ok, I think i know what she was all about.

Let's put it this way, if you were sick and you had no one in the ER to stay with you, what do you do?

You sit next to a person so that if something happens to you someone is there to help you.

This woman was probably thinking the same thing. If she started puking or stopped breathing, or had a sezuire etc., she assumed you would go call for help. Simple as that. Maybe they went overboard sitting right next to you. But people do tend to ignore each other in the waiting room....maybe they wanted to be extra safe and be right next to you?  

That's probably why she gave you that look. Maybe she was confirming with you about the situation. She probably thought you understood.

Are the days where we can empathize with other people really gone? lol, probably so...

Granted she should have asked you more directly, and you probably should be worried about contagion, I would have asked her if you had to worry about catching anything and if there was any help they needed - then sat a bit away from her where I could keep an eye on her.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

It was very inconsiderate of her to sit right next to you.  Do you know if she was contagious or not?  I would have moved away immediately.

Answer 5

She sounds like she had some issues.  Maybe she isn't right in the head... I mean beyond being sick.  If I was sick, I wouldn't pick the only other person there and sit beside them.  She needs meds for her stomach and her head.

Answer 6

She might be mentally challenged or has never been taught basic hygiene practices.  You'd be surprized what some people have never been taught by their parents.

Answer 7

She probably never gave a thought to you, as she was too busy being sick. It may have been slightly impolite, but I'm sure it was completely unintentional and you should be forgiving.

Answer 8

I don't think that was considerate at all for them to do that, however she probably was just thinking of how poorly she felt and didn't even consider how you were feeling.

If someone starting puking next to me I would need a puke bucket as well.  Her mother should have told her to sit elsewhere since the mother was feeling fine and would probably understand that her daughter should not have sat right next to you.

Answer 9

Holli, I would have moved ASAP too! Sometimes just smelling someone  puke makes others do the same. Yes, you did the right thing and why she laid down next to you, you will never know.  

Answer 10

dang, don't be so uptight, just move, but your ANSWER maybe she hoped you would comfort her in some way, even by asking about her being sick. your the rude one

Answer 11

Well, people go to the ER because they are sick and sometimes not thinking quite straight. It seems rather odd that she sat right next to you, but the girl could have also had some other problems that weren't as obvious as her physical illness.

As hard as it is, we should try our best to excuse odd behavior in the ER waiting room. I've seen county hospitals leave people waiting until they were on death's door before they would take them to a room and hysterical family members reacting to the circumstances. Not a pretty site...........

Answer 12

Maybe she was just sick.  You know I remember being really sick and I was in a gown and everyone could see me from the waist down and I didn't care.  Pain and illness make us do things we normally wouldn't.  Why are you mad, she didn't puke on you.. Oh, and maybe she was so out of it that she thought you were someone else...