The most gruesome situation you've encountered?

[SuzieVN]

During Army Reserve weekend warrior days we went to the children's hospital burn unit. It was a regional center. One lady 'Lois', fell asleep smoking on her wedding night (her new husband burned to death). Burns over 90% of her body. Finger tips and toes were exposed bone. Skull was bare of skin, with screws holding her skull together. They cut skin from under her one remaining breast (the other was burned off) to fashion crude eyelids to protect her eyeballs. She made Frankenstein look like a Hollywood star. It took 5 of us to get her into the tub of bleach water, so she could have the dead skin scrubbed off. She took enough morphine to kill a platoon, yet her screams could still be heard on the floor below. That said- that pales in comparison to the child abuse cases, which are just about...unspeakable. They told us that on average, nurses only lasted two months on that floor.

[kool-aide, RN]

N

The news in our area wouldn't air the footage after the fact, so I haven't seen it. It's probably a career ending injury, and I'm truly sorry for the guy. But ghoul that I am, I'd really like to see it.

It's on YouTube!

[SuzieVN]

N

The news in our area wouldn't air the footage after the fact, so I haven't seen it. It's probably a career ending injury, and I'm truly sorry for the guy. But ghoul that I am, I'd really like to see it.

Word is it will be a year before he's functional enough to play. FOX condemned it as nasty, but only because they didn't get to catch it on film... FIRST?

[RNMom2010]

Glad I missed the broken leg. I am fine with most everything except sputum and broken bones!

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

(BTW, speaking of autopsies, you can normally attend one by calling your county coroner. Quite the show, really).

Oooh, now you've piqued my interest! I need to start looking into that!

BTW, is it weird that I found that really cool? :S lol

[SouthernPoint]

Wow. Everyone seems to top my gruesome story.

When I was a PCT. I once walked in on a patient digitally pulling fecal material out. She tried to hand me this grapefruit size BM. I just slowly closed the door and went and found her nurse. Let's just say it held for interesting conversation for the rest of the day.

SP

[eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN]

It's not really gruesome, but I cannot handle the countless videos on YouTube of abcess lancing. Seeing all that pus shoot everywhere just makes me queasy. Give me an oozy post open lap any day over assisting with an abcess.

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

(BTW, speaking of autopsies, you can normally attend one by calling your county coroner. Quite the show, really).

Really? Is it weird I kinda want to watch one?

You can watch the kid breaking his leg on YouTube...it was pretty gross!

[MarySueJ]

I have to say the most gruesome would have to be a sound for me. At a high school football game a player had his hip dislocated. The popping sound and his screams will always be in my memory. I cannot, however, beat any of the above stories. I see some nasty stuff but I have never seen anything truly gruesome. Just that sound... It was loud. All this talk about that other player has brought back some flashbacks. And now I need to go to youtube, I only saw the photos.

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

I just saw the picture of the broken leg on Facebook and that was enough. I work in Ortho and it was hard to look at.

I think his teammates' reaction says it all: Louisville bench reaction to kevin ware injury - Imgur

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I hate debriding deep hand burns. If I'm lucky, the skin will come off in pieces. If I'm not, the skin pulls off the hand like an inside-out glove which always makes me want to barf. Then you have to yank the fingernails out. Then, a couple of days out, you might be doing a dressing change and a bit of the pt's finger crumbles in your hand.

Blarrgghhh I hate fingers and hands.

[Jenni811, RN]

During Army Reserve weekend warrior days we went to the children's hospital burn unit. It was a regional center. One lady 'Lois', fell asleep smoking on her wedding night (her new husband burned to death). Burns over 90% of her body. Finger tips and toes were exposed bone. Skull was bare of skin, with screws holding her skull together. They cut skin from under her one remaining breast (the other was burned off) to fashion crude eyelids to protect her eyeballs. She made Frankenstein look like a Hollywood star. It took 5 of us to get her into the tub of bleach water, so she could have the dead skin scrubbed off. She took enough morphine to kill a platoon, yet her screams could still be heard on the floor below. That said- that pales in comparison to the child abuse cases, which are just about...unspeakable. They told us that on average, nurses only lasted two months on that floor.

awful...just awful. I don't think i could handle watching or doing that. I don't have it in me. We are not a burn hospital but can take mild stuff and occasionally do. I once had a guy who was newly diagnosed COPD and going home on oxygen. Despite the NUMEROUS teachings from RN, RT, MD and smoking cessation he decided it would be a wonderful idea to smoke while using his oxygen. Ended up burning his lower right leg. (Could have been much much worse) but even doing the dressing changes on just that alone made me cringe and want to cry. I can't imagine what it would be like doing it to someone with 90% of their body as bad as this lady. Yikes! Bless the people that can do it.

[SuzieVN]

N

The news in our area wouldn't air the footage after the fact, so I haven't seen it. It's probably a career ending injury, and I'm truly sorry for the guy. But ghoul that I am, I'd really like to see it.

Youtube- name it, it's in there. Check 'worst ankle fracture', for example. Foot is hanging on, but only by a thread.