[happyrntraveler]

I can sympothize, we all have our likes and our dislikes. Just don't think about it!

[CLC172]

Originally Posted by IampattyRN

poop is part of nursing, if you don't like it then you shouldn't be a nurse.

Your post is just like my friend who after seeing poop on an old naked man quit nursing school after the second month of the first semester.... he had school paid for with a hospital scholarship, a job when he finished..... and he would tell me things like what you just posted.

Have a little compassion!

I've only completed my first semester of nursing and I was nervous about the same thing. I haven't had to deal with TONS of poop just yet, but I remember being sorta freaked out before I had to deal with my first colostomy. But when I walked in and saw that poor lady dealing with diarrhea and resulting skin irritation on her stomach from it, the "nurse in me" took over and I totally got over the "gross poop" part of it. It truly was a lot worse for her than for me, and I was more concerned with her suffering than anything else.

But for heaven's sake, is there ever really a nursing student out there who looked forward to dealing with excrement?? I think most of us have been there at one time or another...

[NurseRatched67]

Here's a little trick I learned.

I have a little solid tin of a perfume called "Karma" by a company called LUSH. I keep it in my pocket and if I have to clean some one up..I take a litte and rub it under my nose (then wash my hands of course!).

It smells really nice and clean and takes away at least one factor in the poop-phobia!

After a few years you will embrace the poop and learn to do things like melt a bag of hersey's kisses on a bedsheet to help initiate the new RN's and CNA's. LOL!

[anotherneonurse]

Just wait till you get a few fecalfeliacs that with leaky bums that want to pick and smear all day. Then a little diaper chage or help wiping won't seem so bad. I have actually put people in restraints before, just because I couldn't make them stop smearing their poop everywhere.

While I do feel bad for the little old lady that has lost bowel control and can't wipe herself anymore deep down I think, I would kill myself before I get like this. In some ways my attitude is worse than yours because it means deep down I think my patients should just die, rather than need this level of care. So if an evil person like me can handle it, surely you can get over your attitide and handle it too.

[jenleighf86]

I thought that I was going to be that way too. I'm in my third semester of the nursing program now. I started working as a tech after the first semester on a med surg unit (lots of poop!). Trust me... You will not hurl! When you get in there and are taking care of your pts, it won't be like you're picturing it. And it is much worse for them to have to have someone wipe their butts... Well the ones that aren't confused.... Confused ones don't really care either way. Hospitals have deodorizer spray too. In case it's bad. It's just gonna be one of those natural body functions that you accept. Good luck!

[Recuerdo]

Just think of poop as a combination of chemicals, like anything else.

It just smells really bad.

[michael44]

A very wise lpn student makes friends w/ his/her cna on the first day!!

[serenity19649]

You will do fine, Here is a little tip, Place some vanilla extract, or Vicks vapo rub, under your nose while changing a pt. Focus on the task at hand, Breath thru your mouth. And focus on something nice in your mind, while doing the task.
As was stated before, "it is more unpleasant for your pt."
And be sympathetic, Think of how you would feel if you were in that position. It is not the pts. fault by any means, nor would they do this if they could control it. I make a joke with them, if it is a person I can do this with, I always tell them I have my grandson in training to change my butt, and he told me he would take care of his Nee nee.... heheheheh
They giggle and laugh and its relieves their embarrassment.
This is your dream to be a nurse dont let that go because of a Little poopy, YOU WILL BE FINE!!!!!
Good Luck...!!!!!!!

[ranaazha]

I was worried about this in nursing school (in addition to vomit which REALLY gets me). One of my clinical instructors suggested wearing a mask (if it's the smell that gets you). A friend of mine was recently going through a CNA program, and they point blank told her NOT to wear one because it's insulting to the patients. I asked my instructor about that, and she asked back: Well, isn't it more insulting if you gag or vomit on your patient? I figured, yup...

Other than that, you get used to it. Just sticking a foley in or cleaning a penis or vagina. It's something you'd never think of as "normal," but it truly becomes just that!

I'm convinced we become desensitized to certain sights and smells too...

Oh, and if the smell just overwhelms you, bring some menthol scent with you. My unit keeps it. If someone smells bad, they'll pour a little of the liquid on some gauze in a medicine cup and tape it on/outside of their door or set it on the nurse's desk. See if you can get away with that...

[presuppose]

Scared of Poop? Go for your PA, your FNP and do clinics. Sounds like you still gotta be in the trenches for your RN. I'm guessing by now you've dealt with it.

I was afraid of having to give injections. Because I got a great injection from my roommate in the nursing lab, I then learned how to give excellent IM injections - and then became an adept IV starter. I also have learned how to clean poop pretty well.

Go for it, you'll do fine!