Satisfaction from wiping POO? GASP!

[iluvhrts]

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I have had too much time to read AN this weekend. But, sometimes I find it rewarding to give my patient a nice, warm REAL bed bath. Wash their hair, shave them, be able to feel like I actually got to give my patient my FULL attention for their bath. Not a hurried bath and linen change. This happens so infrequently. And if a patient stools in the bed, is it my favorite moment of the shift? No. Especially if it is the 12th time they have done it. But, usually, the pt is mortified and their bottom is excoriated so much I feel horrible if I have to leave them in their stool an extra second. I don't even consider the fact that I have had to clean poop all day. Are there days I groan that I have to do it? Absolutely. But... I have to admit... sometimes... making sure somebodies A** is clean and aloe-vesta'ed up on fresh blue pads in a clean gown is pretty dang satisfying to me. Ok, I'l get off my soap box now.

[Devnation]

Okay, I guess I'm just the odd one out. I detest cleaning up stool. Always have. I find nothing rewarding or joyful about it. When I graduated I did not choose the ED because there is relatively less bed pan duty, but it sure was a perk. Despite feeling that way I never let that show to the pt. I'm always soothing and tell them they have no reason to apologize. I never shirk from this duty because I realize how important it is. I have a relative who needs total care and I have helped wash their backside even while they were in a facility.

That being said, the reason I became an RN is because I am completely and irrevocably passionate about the human body. I think it is the most incredible and fascinating machine in the world, and I love being a part of the team that makes it work at its highest level. I'm just not all that crazy about the by products.

[1010MASH]

I have a resident who is always sad and crying by the time I arrive to my shift. She always tells me she is happy and relieved to see me. Her spouse says they are often ignored. I help his wife and give her my full attn. The staff get upset sometimes, saying that I need to just have them wait later. Why have the wife wait later, when she has been waiting since 11am that day to get cleaned up because she had been left in her soaked bed and clothes?

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

I've wanted to cheer when I've finally gotten someone to poop -- and it was the highlight of the night. Smelled to high heaven, but it meant the illeus was loosening up and the patient wasn't going to the OR.

Poop, pee and snot don't bother me -- what gets me is projectile upper GI bleed vomiting in a ETOHer. The smell of blood and old alcohol is just about more than I can take.

[Spikey9001, BSN, RN]

I guess I'm the only one that thinks this thread is slightly weird... hmm.

I'll be honest and say that cleaning up poop is something I don't find glorifying and rather just "something that needs to be done."

[inthedistrict]

I'm with you. There's something wonderful about a nice, clean, lotioned patient resting on neat fresh sheets. People underestimate what a difference it can make.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I don't particularly enjoy cleaning up poop, but I do like my patients (adult and newborn) patients to be clean. Most of the adults are continent walkie-talkies and able to do peri-care on their own, but my fresh c/section mamas I try to help them out at first until they are up and about. Do I throw a party about it? Well, no....but it sure is nice to be able to leave them clean and in clean sheets.