[WannaBCRNA]

In clinicals we just give baths, clean up poop and puke, and feed patients. I honestly want nothing to do with this once I'm a nurse, so, where/what floors can I work on as a new grad, in order to avoid this? I do have an interest in Psych nursing.

[cucciolla22]

am pretty sure there is a discussion linked to this somewhere,
Giving baths, cleaning poop, puke and feeding patients are part of nursing career, oyu end up making jokes about it. what year studying are you? as you get more into it, during clinicals you get to do more stuff, depending on how enthusiastic you are about doing extra stuff
had a placement in psych once and i experrienced had to clean some feces there too, unless you go into admin...... hehehe just kidding

[nyapa]

Nursing is wholistic. You care for the whole person. Cleaning up mess can actually be part of ongoing assessment of your patient. You assess the type, you assess the amount, you consider what are the effects. For example, heaps of diarrhoea and vomitus can end up dehydrating and affecting the electrolytes of someone. Lack of continence can indicate such things as development of dementia, or spinal disorders, Or it could even be a sign of hypoxia, or sepsis or any condition which can cause confusion. Feeding patients helps you assess their swallowing skills, and to figure out why they may be vomiting, or anorexic or whatever. Are they not eating because of confusion.

Cleaning up mess also ensures that you are protecting the person, such as their skin. And if you do it kindly, then you protect them psychologically as many ppl are so embarrassed.

I could write a whole essay on this, I really could. But this is part of the basics of nursing, and its important.

[NicoleERRN]

Walmart ...just kidding, long night, full of codes and code browns... love it anyway ! Cleaning patients is part of taking care of them, they need the care, and someone has to provide it. some teaching areas of nursing maybe? to be honest i don't really know,
good luck with everything!

[plumrn]

Doctors office, clinics, management, teaching, school nurse are a few I can think of. However, in some of these you may be cleaning the rare event. The chemo & dialysis nurses occasionally have to assist someone, but not an everyday occurrence. Good luck finding your dream job.

[al7139]

I have experienced both sides of this, both as a nurse assistant and an RN. Guess what? As an RN you still do the "nasty" jobs as well as getting to do exciting things like give meds, start IV's etc. I have never considered myself as an RN above the level of cleaning poop, bathing patients, and dealing with vomit. I appreciate my aides all the more now for having been one. They are smarter than you think. If I am caught up, I will always help them out. Like someone said, you learn alot from looking at a pts poop, skin, whatever. Get over it, because you never get away from it.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by WannaBCRNA

In clinicals we just give baths, clean up poop and puke, and feed patients. I honestly want nothing to do with this once I'm a nurse, so, where/what floors can I work on as a new grad, in order to avoid this? I do have an interest in Psych nursing.

You're headed into the wrong field if you want nothing to do with caring for the basic needs of others.

[wtbcrna]

In a doctor's office.....Maybe PACU, but you will still do some of that stuff there to.....

I am gathering from your screen name that you are wanting to go to nurse ansthesia school, and if that is the case you are going to need 1-2 years in ICU doing all those things you hate now.
I think most student nurses feel the same way you do when going to school, but after a time it just gets to be routine/part of the job and you don't think twice about it.

[Hellllllo Nurse]

More and more new grads don't want to get their hands dirty. What is the deal?

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by Hellllllo Nurse

More and more new grads don't want to get their hands dirty. What is the deal?

This crap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1-uMKg86Ck

Exciting and glamourous... not a one wrinkled and covered in bodily fluids, hair standing on end, hopping about because they haven't pee'd in 12 hours....