Hailey Tran
The number 13 is often considered unlucky, and many hospitals and hotels do not have a room or floor number 13. This is due to the superstitions of patients and guests, who may refuse to stay in room 13 or on the 13th floor. Some hospitals do have a room 13, but it is often a quiet, isolated room, or used for storage or machinery. In some cases, hospitals have chosen to use the 13th floor for patient care due to a lack of space, despite the superstition.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for excluding room 13 | Superstition |
| Who is superstitious | Patients, not medical providers |
| Room 13 in hospitals | Some hospitals have room 13, some don't |
| Room 13 in hotels | Most hotels don't have room 13 |
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What You'll Learn
Superstition and the number 13
Superstition surrounding the number 13 is common across many cultures. In the context of hospitals, the number 13 is often avoided in room and floor numbering due to its association with bad luck. This is done to accommodate patients' superstitions and avoid potential complaints or arguments about being assigned to room 13.
Historically, the number 13 was considered lucky in pagan cultures, and it still holds cultural significance in certain parts of the world. However, with the rise of the Roman Catholic Church, the number came to be associated with Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles, one of whom, Judas, betrayed him. This shift in cultural perspective led to the number 13 being viewed as unlucky, and this superstition has persisted in various aspects of modern life, including hospital room numbering.
Hospitals often skip the number 13 when numbering rooms and floors to avoid any potential issues arising from patients' superstitions. Some hospitals may also use alternative numbering systems, such as even numbers only or alphanumeric designations, to avoid the number 13 altogether. This practice is not limited to hospitals, as many high-rise hotels also omit a 13th floor due to the same superstitions.
In some cases, hospitals may still have a physical 13th floor or room number 13, but it may be used for alternative purposes, such as storage or administrative functions, rather than patient care. Additionally, in situations where there is a high demand for bed space, hospitals may choose to utilise the 13th floor for patient care despite the superstitions associated with the number.
While the omission of room 13 in hospitals is primarily driven by patients' superstitions, it also serves a practical purpose by preventing arguments or complaints about room assignments. By skipping directly from room 12 to room 14, hospitals can avoid any potential disruptions caused by patients refusing to be accommodated in room 13.
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Patient complaints about room number 13
Many hospitals do not have a room 13 or a 13th floor. This is due to superstition, which is generally attributed to patients rather than medical providers. Some patients have complained about being placed in room 13, with a rare few becoming very upset and demanding to be moved. This can cause issues in hospitals that are at capacity, and so some hospitals choose to avoid this problem by simply not having a room 13.
However, some hospitals do have a room 13, and some staff have commented that they have not noticed any complaints from patients about being placed in room 13. In some hospitals, room 13 is used for specific purposes, such as for stable, talkative patients, or as a morgue. In one hospital, room 13 was a corner suite with large windows, used for VIPs.
There is also some evidence that hospitals without room 13 are implementing this based on the superstition of staff rather than patients. For example, one hospital worker commented that they didn't "like it when [their] patients are admitted to that bed". In another hospital, room 666 was referred to as "Welcome to Hell, please check your hope at the door" by a case manager.
Despite the superstition, a retrospective cohort study found that bed 13 is not a risk factor for patient safety. The study compared the mortality and number of adverse events suffered by patients admitted to rooms/beds numbering 13 (bad chance) or 7 (fair chance) over a two-year period. The results showed that the mortality rate for bed 13 was 6.2%, compared to 6.7% for bed 7, indicating that there is no significant difference in patient safety between the two beds.
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Hospitals with room number 13
The number 13 is considered unlucky and is often associated with superstition. Many hospitals do not have a room or floor number 13 to avoid upsetting superstitious patients or staff. Some hospitals skip the number 13 when numbering rooms or floors, going directly from 12 to 14. This is a common practice in high-rise buildings, including hotels, to avoid negative associations with the number 13.
However, some hospitals do have a room 13. One person working in four urban hospitals said that only one of them had a room 13, while the others skipped from 12 to 14. Another person working in two hospitals in Southern California noticed that neither of them had rooms ending in the number 13. Bellevue Hospital in San Francisco does not have a floor 13 accessible by elevator, but it does exist and is reachable by stairs.
Some hospitals use room 13 for specific purposes. One hospital uses room 13 in the pre-op section of their same-day surgery department. Another hospital has two room 13s, one on each side (north and south), which are used as gynaecology rooms. One hospital puts dead people in room 13 while they wait to go to the morgue, and another hospital uses it for stable, talkative patients who need a quiet space.
While the absence of room 13 in hospitals is intended to avoid superstition-related issues, some patients and staff still complain about being assigned to rooms or floors that include the number 13 in their digits, such as room 713 or 4N13.
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Hospitals without room number 13
Many hospitals do not have a room or floor number 13, often due to superstition. Some people believe that the number 13 is unlucky, and patients may refuse to be in room 13 or on the 13th floor. This can cause issues in hospitals that are always at capacity.
Some hospitals go from room 12 to room 14, skipping room 13 entirely. Others may have a room 13 but no 13th floor, or vice versa. In some cases, the 13th floor may exist but not be accessible by elevator or main staircases and is instead used for storage or machinery.
Even in hospitals with a room 13, staff have noted that some patients complain about being assigned to that room and demand to be moved. This can lead to arguments, especially if no other rooms are available.
The absence of a room or floor 13 in hospitals is similar to the practice in many high-rise hotels, which also often omit the 13th floor due to superstition. In some cases, hotels may also omit the 4th floor or any floor with the number 4 in it, as the Chinese word for 4 sounds similar to the word for death.
While the omission of room or floor 13 in hospitals is likely due to superstition, it is worth noting that some hospitals may simply have different numbering systems or layouts that do not include the number 13 for practical or architectural reasons.
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The history of the number 13
The number 13 has been considered unlucky in Western cultures, with some people even having a phobia of the number called triskaidekaphobia. This fear of the number 13 is so prevalent that over 80% of high-rise buildings in the United States do not have a 13th floor, and hospitals, hotels, and airports often avoid using the number for rooms and gates. This is also the case in hospitals, where rooms numbered 13 are often skipped to avoid upsetting superstitious patients.
The number 13's negative associations can be traced back to ancient times and several historical events. One theory relates to the Code of Hammurabi, an ancient legal document that reportedly omitted a 13th law, although this was likely a clerical error. Another theory points to the Bible, where Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was said to be the 13th guest at the Last Supper. Similarly, in Norse mythology, the mischievous god Loki is believed to have brought evil and turmoil to the world as the 13th guest at a dinner party in Valhalla.
In some cultures, the number 13 is considered significant for reasons other than bad luck. In Judaism, 13 is the age at which a boy matures and becomes a Bar Mitzvah, a full member of the Jewish faith. In Shia Islam, 13 represents the 13th day of the month of Rajab, which is the birth of Imam Ali. In Catholic devotional practice, the number is associated with Saint Anthony of Padua, as his feast day falls on June 13.
Interestingly, not all cultures view 13 as unlucky. In Germany, 13 (dreizehn) is the first compound number and was traditionally the first number written in digits. In France, 13 was considered a lucky number before World War I and was used as a symbol of good luck on postcards and charms. Similarly, in Italy, 13 is considered a lucky number, and the expression "fare tredici" means to hit the jackpot.
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Frequently asked questions
The number 13 is often considered unlucky, and patients and staff might refuse to enter a Room 13. Therefore, hospitals tend to avoid having a Room 13 to prevent any issues.
The number 13 was considered lucky in pagan cultures and still is in some parts of the world. However, with the rise of the Roman Catholic Church, it became associated with Judas, the apostle who turned on Jesus Christ.
Some hospitals do have a Room 13. For instance, one hospital worker on Reddit mentioned that their hospital had two Room 13s, both gynaecology rooms.
Yes, some hospitals avoid rooms with the number 666. For example, one hospital worker on Reddit mentioned that Room 666 in their hospital was the isolation room.
