[southlandshari]

Originally Posted by prmenrs

Consider this from the patient's point of view.

All your life, you've been a competent human being. You got potty trained @ the appropriate age, you were a useful, productive adult, raising your own children, holding down a job, contributing to society. Now, here you are, away from your family and friends, maybe you have to be fed by someone, you don't have anything interesting to do, maybe you can't talk, hear or see very well and WORST OF ALL, you can't even control the most basic of bodily functions. You have to wear a diaper, for heaven's sake. You are totally dependent on someone else to clean you after you soil yourself, perhaps even change your clothes/bedding.

Just how humiliating is that??? Granted, some patients are not exactly "with it", and maybe even seem to enjoy "making your day", but for many, this whole business is absolutely mortifiying.

Your job, as a nurse, is to be as empathetic as possible. Reassure the patient, clean them as promptly and gently as you can (sometimes caregivers lose patience, tend to be rough, and even abusive in this poop cleaning process).

There are tricks to decrease the odor--putting Vicks Vapo-rub under your nose for example--discrete spraying (don't over-do that, esp if pt or you have resp issues like COPD and asthma), etc. Bring as many supplies as you can, and if it's a 2 person job, round 'em up. Talk to the pt while you do it, just chit-chat stuff, so that they know you recognize them as a person.

Make it a good thing; it will serve you well. Consider it a "mitzvah" as the Jewish say, a "blessing".

Beyond well said.

[ngbaseball]

I hate it

[jhamrn]

Did you know that when a person smells poop they are ingesting very small poop particles. Sometimes when I work on a Geriatric psych unit, i get calls from a general psych unit to help them clean up poop. Like I'm a poop expert. Nobody likes cleaning up poop. One nice thing about being an RN is that sometimes you can deligate poop clean up to your subordinates. I tell my subordinates that poop always runs down hill. Like everything in nursing, things get better with more experience.

[careerchoices]

Originally Posted by jhamrn

Did you know that when a person smells poop they are ingesting very small poop particles.

Well, I would argue with that. What you are smelling are the various amine compounds and various other organic chemicals like skatol.

[RosieD]

Oh, honey! What a fear! LOL

Well, the truth is, poo is gross. It's normally kind of gross, and at times it is shockingly, appallingly, filthy gross. But, it's OKAY. That's my general response when people ask me about how I can do a job like that- "Yeah, it's gross, but that's okay."

Usually patients don't seem to mind- I suppose it's the acceptance that right now you can't do it, and you need some help. But sometimes it is hard on people, like 20-something patients or your little old ladies who are upset because they "don't want to be a bother". I always tell those ladies that one of the wonderful things about being human is that we are there for eachother when we need help. And the big kicker- if our situations were reversed and I needed help, I bet they would do the same for me.

But it's true, sometimes it's super gross! Sometimes you can smell it in the hallway 20 rooms away! Wow! That's gross! But, what are you gonna do? Give your patient the love you've got to give, fix them up, and laugh to yourself (or a good nurse pal) about how you thought you would pass out. It's okay. You get used to it very, very fast.

[RosieD]

omg, I had a little old lady who would NOT keep her fingers out of her bum one night- she was on the bedpan, she WAS going, but I guess at home she uses digital stimulation daily to alleviate chronic constipation- that's fine, and apparently quite common, but it was very not necessary when she was in the hospital and on a bedpan, and GOING, because she'd had a suppository! There was poo EVERYWHERE!
I believe my first reaction was a judgmental, horrified "STOP THAT!"
Poor lady. It was funny, it was sad: it was tragic. She was confused. It took a lot of time to clean up. I understand your feelings, which are not evil, but things that many of us think all the time at our jobs. No worries. Be grossed out, and act with love.

[JOHNCHE]

I to hate poop, not the formed normal stuff, but the messy smelly kind. I have been a RN for almost 4 years now, and my way around poop was to be honest with my co workers, they all know my dislike for poop so they help me as much as they can, we kind of trade off, they'll clean up the poo, and I dive into the sputum, which most nurse's gag over, but it doesn't bother me at all. Now there was one night when a call light went off, when I entered the room there was a trail of poop from the patients bed to the bathroom all over the walls of the bathroom and all over the patient, I told the patient I would be right back, everybody was busy, so I grabed a bunch of towels and washcloths, I told myself I can get through this, the patient told me he was sorry, I just said it happens, and we would get through this together, which we did. All nurses have a hang up of some sort, and we all work as a team to get through them.

[JOHNCHE]

one night i had a patient who wanted me to digitaly remove a impaction, i had just gave him MOM and told him to give time to work, i went to assess my patients, and when walking by his room he yelled out, hey john ! I got it, when i looked in his room, there he sat with a large amount of poop in his hand, he dug himself out, it was about the size of a softball, I thought OMG

[BerryHappy]

As soon as it becomes really offensive, BREATH THROUGH YOUR MOUTH, not through your nose. Just turn off your nose like you do while swimming...ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES, and PUT ON DOUBLE GLOVES...it's that easy...no need to become upset and further upset the patient. I am always EXTREMELY proud of myself after a good clean up! Be happy for them that they went, and be proud of the type of person you are becoming. Only the best of the best does God allow to be caretakers over the forgotten.

[caren7171]

what a great reply! as a newbee myself on med/surg all I have seen my first week is poop and colostomy bags, not to mention my first post morteum on day 5!! OY VEY! but there is nothing more satisfying than knowing I helped keep a little of their dignity in tact and hopefully aided in their comfort and health....and whoever said if you don't like poop yopu shouldn't be a nurse..please, I don't know anyone who says "yippee, more poop!"