Poop in nursing

[KATRN78]

I am an RN. My niece is 18 and hoping to go to nursing school. Recently she told me that there will be no poop cleaning at her nursing school or in the hospital she plans to work in. "I am not going to be THAT kind of nurse. I won't have to change adult diapers."

I was shocked when I heard this! Why had I and all of my nursing coworkers chosen "poop" nursing schools! Where is this special poop free hospital?

[StayHumble11]

I see this poop thread is still going on lol...

[studentmom77]

Maybe (maybe!!) in LTC. In the ER and other hospital units in which I have worked the aides/techs/etc. seem to have run for the hills every time one of my pt's has an "explosion." QUOTE]

This definitely seems to be true in my area as well. Most of the hospitals barely use aides/techs at all, one in the area cut them completely from the staff a few years ago and the others only use them on med/surg as far as I know and even then you may have 1 aide to 14-20 patients. Meanwhile working on my dementia unit I have one aide for every 6 or 7 residents. Most of the nurses there won't even assist with a transfer let alone clean someone up. I was an Aide first so I have no problem helping them if it gets crazy but for the most part I could pretty much avoid poop altogether, well except for the wafting into the halls and the occasion request to take a look at something out of the ordinary. I guess LTC does have at least one perk :)

[Anoetos, BSN, RN]

Poop is natural. But as has been pointed out, we're hardwired to stay away from it. Improper and/or inadequate sanitation has been and still is the cause of a lot of health problems.

If we take the proper precautions it shouldn't be much of a danger. I've handled the dooky of Hep A patients, in gloves and gown of course and I am fine.

It is understandable to want to avoid it. Just don't give in to the desire. You will not probably ever love it, but you will probably learn to accept it and to be able to deal with it.

And remember, being sick is stressful. Being incontinent is often shameful for people. Handle them and their waste with dignity and respect and do so promptly. This will go a long way toward increasing their trust in you and that can't be undervalued.

[DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP]

When I was a student/new grad, I would almost gag at the smell of stool.

Now, four years later as a Hospice RN, I can do a dressing change on very odorous, necrotic (and protruding) carcinomas without flinching. What has always gotten me through is thinking to myself: "these people/pts deserve dignity. Making a face or turning my head away serves no purpose but to make the pt feel bad or worse."

ETA: also, a pet peeve of mine is the word "diaper" when referring to adult briefs. Kids wear diapers, Adults wear briefs.

For me, it's all about dignity and respect for the pt.

[loriangel14, RN]

When I was a student/new grad, I would almost gag at the smell of stool.

Now, four years later as a Hospice RN, I can do a dressing change on very odorous, necrotic (and protruding) carcinomas without flinching. What has always gotten me through is thinking to myself: "these people/pts deserve dignity. Making a face or turning my head away serves no purpose but to make the pt feel bad or worse."

ETA: also, a pet peeve of mine is the word "diaper" when referring to adult briefs. Kids wear diapers, Adults wear briefs.

For me, it's all about dignity and respect for the pt.

Amen. And the seniors I take care of don't wear "bibs" at meal time. They're aprons.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Amen. And the seniors I take care of don't wear "bibs" at meal time. They're aprons.

Where I worked it was a "clothing protector." At least that's what we aides had to call it....the resident's call them bibs (same for the brief/diaper issue).

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

so the millennium stuff is crap...

Nice wording for the :poop: thread

[nursel56]

Where I worked it was a "clothing protector." At least that's what we aides had to call it....the resident's call them bibs (same for the brief/diaper issue).

Then I hope for some standardization (not really as I am a realist:-)) When I went to feed my mother at the LTC she was in the aide kept asking me if I wanted a (not apron or clothing protector) I was looking at her very perplexed until she finally brought it anyway. I exclaimed "Oh! A bib! Yes!" I know my mom wouldn't have cared but I will remember that from now on.

[DalekRN]

There are two kinds of people in the hospital: those who can't poop and those who can't stop.[/quote']

In women's health, add to that those who can't pee and those who can't stop!

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Then I hope for some standardization (not really as I am a realist:-)) When I went to feed my mother at the LTC she was in the aide kept asking me if I wanted a (not apron or clothing protector) I was looking at her very perplexed until she finally brought it anyway. I exclaimed "Oh! A bib! Yes!" I know my mom wouldn't have cared but I will remember that from now on.

For the record, I think "they" (the nonexistent people who would standardize the names) would go with 'apron'--that is the classiest of the group in my mind.

[picklemouse]

I have very much enjoyed reading this thread. Hooray for the poop thread! I am about to start nursing school in the Fall and will most likely join the party. Thanks for all the posts explaining new perspectives. I am still naive enough to think, "It's just poop..." but I also know I haven't started yet and know nothing about the interesting fluids and odors I will encounter.

As for the peppermint oil... I have heard about that before and asked a nurse what she thought. She said it would obviously be helpful but could also offend the patient. Thoughts?

[Godbless111]

Exactly! I am glad that I exposed my self to the menial side of nursing (being an HHA/CNA) before making the ultimate decision to advance.