Is clinic nursing a dirty job?

enuf_already · Oct 7, 2015

Dirty as in people who come to clinic with tiny roach infestations dropping from them as you take their vitals? Or do you mean bedbugs that infest your exam rooms that require fumigation? Head lice and scabies are our friends.

Maybe you were referring to people whom you can smell before they walk in the door? Patients who eat in your lobby and spill every sticky substance known to mankind, then tread through it and contaminate the entire office?

If not them, maybe people who use the restroom, don't flush and manage to leave the facilities trashed as well as a trail of excrement that follows the sticky trail throughout the office?

Then people, for some reason, think it's okay to play with any equipment, including the computer, or allow their kids to play with the equipment. I won't even tell you what kind of goobers I've found lodged between keyboards and in otoscopes--and not cerumen either.

So to answer your question--clinics are perfectly sterile places where you will never get dirty, sick from a patient, or become infested with critters.

loriangel14, RN · Oct 7, 2015

If you are concerned about doing " dirty work" don't become a nurse.

Fiona59 · Oct 7, 2015

But, but there are soooo many areas of nursing to pick from!

Dont kill her dream!

Nurse Leigh · Oct 7, 2015

I see from your other post that you wish to become a CRNA. You should note that CRNA programs require a certain amount of critical care experience, and some places prefer regular floor (med surg, tele etc,) experience before working ICU.

Yerani27 · Oct 7, 2015

Yes, I did a lot of research into what it takes to become a CRNA so I know that you need ICU experience. Plus, to even be considered to work in the ICU, you would definitely need to work with less sick patients. I have realized that it's better to start off with a small goal. I'm considering doing cosmetic nursing, as it pertains to my experience working in the spa industry.

T-Bird78 · Oct 8, 2015

It depends on the specialty also. I'm in ENT and there's a LOT of gross things in there. Cleaning the room after a routine exam can be gross, flushing the cerumen through the ear suction tips, getting the boogers out of the aligator grooves, and wiping down the scopes prior to soaking and disinfecting them. Even in allergy/asthma, there's a lot of mucus and phlegm and the occasional vomit during an allergy test. Pulmonary has sputum collection, derm has all sorts of nasty skin condiitons and itchy/oozy sores. Peds, well, peds has all of the above and so much more. Even PCP would have general sick people, from vomiting/diarrhea for a stomach virus, to flu-infected people, to swabs for strep and flu, to doing U/A; OB has you chaperoning the provider for routine pap smears and not everyone bathes daily. Podiatry has smelly feet, fungal infections, diabetic feet with non-healing ulcers, and ingrown toenails. Everywhere will have the chronic smokers that stink, excessive perfume-wearers, general body odor, and sweaty teenage boy funk. All in all, though, I'd rather do a clinic setting so I can be home evenings, weekends, and holidays with my babies. It's a different skill set and not often recognized for how much is involved.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2015

Let's see. GI clinic poo, Pulmonary clinic snot, Oncology clinic vomit, Renal or Urology clinics pee. Yes. And clinic experience won't be a stepping stone to ICU.

Yerani27 · Oct 8, 2015

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I really appreciate it. Yeah, when I said that you have to take care of less sick patients to get into ICU, I was referring to med/surg. I'm pretty sure that's where everyone starts out from if they want to get into ICU. So, I'm assuming all of you have learned to adapt to the environment of working with bodily fluids? I know all of you are probably thinking I should just forget about nursing but I have done massive amounts of career researching and I really cannot find anything else that suits me better. I mean, I was looking into business as well but realistically speaking, if you don't go into either finance or accounting, it's difficult to find a job in business. A lot of them are underemployed.

Nurse Leigh · Oct 8, 2015

....it's difficult to find a job in business. A lot of them are underemployed.

Substitute "nursing" for "business" and your statement is still true in many parts of the country.

sailornurse · Oct 8, 2015

Consider getting your CNA so you can work in a hospital to gain experience. It will help you in your decision. Why have you decided on CRNA when you have not started nursing school?

What do you mean by "cosmetic nursing"? I am not sure where or what this type of nursing is found. Please explain.

flyersfan88 · Oct 8, 2015

Not sure how you plan on intubating people and being in an OR in the future if you can't handle body fluids