Hospital ward cleared for Kylie Minogue

Katnip, RN · Jun 3, 2005

That's ridiculous. I don't care who you are. You can't go around inconveniencing other patients because you think you're so incredibly special.

It goes back to that whole VIP care thing. I give all my patients the same treatment, no matter who they are. Hospitals better pay attention.

Their bread and butter comes from the local people, not a one-time visit from a celebrity.

pricklypear · Jun 3, 2005

Good Lord. All I can say is she better have paid for all 8 of those rooms. Who do these people think they are???? She had to have given up lots of money for that, we all know how much hospitals will do for money!

Now, if you're a president, former president, of someone like that, fine. But a celebrity? Simply being a celebrity doesn't mean squat to me.

One of the hospitals in AZ had a entire floor for one of the former Governers of the state. But he gave tons of money to the hospital over long periods of time. He was the only one who ever stayed there (he had chronic health problems) and had his own private nursing staff.

I live in Kansas, so we don't have many celebrities here!! We did have a big-wig in the school system at our hospital once for surgery, but he (as far as I know) didn't request or get any special treatment like that except he didn't have to have a roomate.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jun 3, 2005

Devil's advocate: I can see how the other patients would actually be served by having this happen. Non-celeb patients would be harassed by paparazzi trying to get info on her, and her privacy would be compromised without some accomodations.

I don't expect paying extra for such amenities would be an issue for her.

pricklypear · Jun 3, 2005

Devil's advocate: I can see how the other patients would actually be served by having this happen. Non-celeb patients would be harassed by paparazzi trying to get info on her, and her privacy would be compromised without some accomodations.
I don't expect paying extra for such amenities would be an issue for her.

Good point about the media attention. I could see some media people offering legitimate visitors compensation to give info, used dressings (haha) or whatever.

Maybe she didn't ask for the whole unit to herself, the hospital could have arranged it to avoid a bad situation.

What did they do when Clinton was in the hospital? Is there some kind of private presidential suite there? Do some of the hospitals in CA have "celebrity wards?"

Katnip, RN · Jun 3, 2005

I've never had a celebrity patient, but I've had patients "under protection." They had one room only. Security was always very tight, and other patients were not bothered. They had their own visitors, but the area was screened carefully. All visitors had special passes.

Yes, these were people reporters and criminals wanted to get a hold of. But it was always managed well, and nobody got in who wasn't supposed to be there.

A celebrity could easily hire the same kind of security.

Some hospitals DO have special VIP suites, where presidents and celebrities can stay.

smk1, LPN · Jun 3, 2005

i read that her spokesman released a statement saying that they did not ask for this special treatment. I can see that if it could keep the paparrazi away and no other patients care is compromised, then i guess it's ok, but if patients are turned away or have to be rescheduled for surgery, put on inappropriate floors, just as a convenience to the celebrity, then that is inappropriate.

PamUK · Jun 3, 2005

Its not only the media who would harrass her, other patients and their visitors would too. Also, if the general public have open access to the ward, who knows who would just stroll in, pick up notes, take photographs, ask innocuous questions and manage to pull together a story to sell.

I've had experience of this in my own hospital, with a local celebrity. Other patients and their visitors are incredibly pushy and totally inconsiderate and intrusive. And it's not beyond the realms of possiblity that they would sell their story to make some money for their 5 minutes of fame.

Katnip, RN · Jun 3, 2005

Again, that's what security is for. It can and has been managed much better than inconveniencing other patients and the celebrity.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 3, 2005

I don't think we in the states realize what a superstar Kylie is in Austrailia (and the UK and Europe for that matter) and what a big news story her surgery must be. I can see nosy press hounding her and the hospital.

I think they went way overboard, but I can definately see for her safety and privacy and for the patients around her why they would do that.

I'm a bit biased because I'm a fan.

Judee Smudee, ADN, RN · Jun 3, 2005

Excuse me but this person can't be as big a celebrity as she or he thinks because I never heard of this person.

PamUK · Jun 3, 2005

Again, that's what security is for. It can and has been managed much better than inconveniencing other patients and the celebrity.

How will security stop other patients getting info & selling it on?