[slangdell]

For my entire life, I was petrified by the sound, smell and sight of emesis. I would physically run away when anyone was barfing. Eww... I ended up in nursing school - my choice... I had a woman with a bowel obstruction that had been vomiting persistently. I volunteered to "assess" and measure the output. I did - all 650 mLs. Somehow I'd become more detached - and the event more "clinical" in nature. I viewed it as intake in reverse - no more, no less. The smell? Just acids and fluids.

Don't know if this will help you - but just my experience in overcoming a phobia of sorts.

Take care.

[michelle9655]

This is really good advice guys! Haha this whole forum just made me feel a lot better about it too. thanks!

[flightnurse2b]

call me weird, but i totally dont mind cleaning poopy diapers. its natural. we all need to poop. i am happy for my patients when they poop.

now after working in GI for almost a year, i am surrounded by poop all day long. and after the procedures over, i actually have to force my patients to pass gas. the smell doesnt even bother me, i think i'm immune.

now toenails.... gross. give me poop anyday.

anyways, i posted this in another thread, but if vicks is too strong, i told my classmates my two tricks from paramedic school: burt's bees and listerine pocket packs. put a little burt's bees under your nose or on your lips and put a listerine strip in your mouth and you dont smell anything but menthol.

always remember to do some PLB too. that helps.

face your fears. you will do fine. poop is not the worst thing in nursing school, i promise you. if you have to clean a patient and you feel like you are going to lose it, just excuse yourself for a minute, breathe, and remember that its not just poopy diaper, its a human being who needs care because they can no longer help themselves. it might be embarassing for you to get sick over poop, but think of how embarrassed your patient is, too.

good luck.

[sweetmuffin48]

Poop...it's something you get used to...it may sicken you now, but if you face your fear...and most likely poop won't bother you...adults are harder to clean up than a child, but once you get a system, it isn't that bad.

[Ad vitam]

haha i'm glad to know i'm not the only person freaked out by the thought of cleaning up someone elses poopy.

[emma 2]

To be honest my lovely - the person that is in that awful situation of having to rely on you to clear him/her up could very well be you. If you think about it that way and the reason you really wanted to nurse - there's nothing to scare you. Just remember why you're doing what you're doing - put yourself in their position - how would you feel - how would you want to be treated?? you'll be fantastic - just need to prove it to yourself ..xx

[Ad vitam]

Great advice right there, i've never looked at it through the viewpoint of putting myself in their position. I'm guessing with that in the back of my head as well as vicks somewhere near by i'll easily make it

[Kiwimid]

poop has never worried me, hell, i have had four babies. poop is nothing, warm, stale urine on the other hand....eeeewwwwww. cath bags that are being emptied....barf

[WestWingFan]

I honestly think being a mother before being a nurse helped. I couldn't have done this at 22yo. I just had to wipe after a patient for the first time (thought it was something I'd have a hard time with)--- , and then the next day I cleaned the bathroom after a patient had a little poopy accident. turns out it wasn't hard at all--- no problem. Not that much different then my kids. Glad I got the first poopy experiences over with and know that it's not a problem.

[baldee]

Well, one pooper scooper does not concern me. Yes, you can grin and bear it for that. Or even a couple.

But if you are considering a CNA job to get you started in funds to go to school, 40 to 60 consecutive wet browneyes is a little staggering for anyone to imagine. Yes, you are going to get used to it somewhat from repetition; but like looking in crawdad bellies, you are going to get gag every now and then on what you see/smell.

I would still like to find a niche CNA job which did not assembly line poopers and bath's, and yet be constant hours you can depend on. Give me challenge, pressure, and caring duties beyond the call: but you can have the transmittable bio-hazard duties you want all for yourselves.

Maybe when analyses of an RN skills is required, then it will be different: and it won't be repetitive. No wonder there is a CNA attitude noted in many posts. Notice the RN's don't mind, yet they are not the high volume repetitive changers either. And I admit, if you don't do it much, it shouldn't be a big deal