What type of gross things do registered nurses have to do?

CrazyCoconut · May 20, 2013

If you think bodily fluids and stool are bad, wait until you see a maggot infestation in a human. But if you intend to enter the health care field, you are bound to see EVERYTHING as the years go by. There is no avoiding it. Even the clinics see gross stuff here and there.

I agree with trying out CNA to see if you like it.

Momnurse41 · May 20, 2013

Poop is just the beginning. Vomit, lung excretions, blood, pee that's been thrown at you...and a ton of poop. They are just part of the job and eventually you can finish chewing your dinner while cleaning it without being phased. Working with dead bodies is not as bad as you are thinking. You are young - explore your options. Sometimes a career adviser at the local junior college can help you figure out your direction in life.

HeatherMax · May 20, 2013

I have been told sputum is the hardest to "get over".

sputum |ˈspyoōtəm|

noun

a mixture of saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract, typically as a result of infection or other disease and often examined microscopically to aid medical diagnosis.

ORIGIN late 17th cent.: from Latin, neuter past participle of spuere ‘to spit.’

DizzyLizzyNurse · May 20, 2013

Do you ever babysit and have to change a baby? Have a toddle barf up too much yogurt? Tell a seven-year-old to blow his nose and then toss the kleenex? Do you resent it or figure it comes with the territory? There's your answer.

As to the rest of a laundry list of unpleasantnesses (so helpfully expanded by some of the above posters :) ) a little more perspective is in order. Part of your fear is that you will be incapacitated in some way by encountering these things. In this culture, illness and death are so often communicated as terrible, awful things to be avoided or prevented at all costs. In past centuries, your family members would have known better of personal experience, because grandma would have died at home, children would have died of communicable diseases, young women would have given birth at home (a messy business, BTW, not like you see it on TV), people would have had chamber pots under their beds that would get emptied in the morning, and all manner of bodily functions would have been commonplace. You, alas, have been sheltered from these realities, none of which have changed over millennia. I can, however, assure you that as you go about your training you will learn that these things are perfectly normal, that millions of nurses and other caregivers have been in your shoes and learned to care for real live (and dying, and dead) people anyway, and you can too.

Death is far from the worst thing that can happen to anyone. A dead body is beyond fear and pain, and that can be a very good thing indeed. A respectful handling in its last moments in care is something you'd want for your loved one's remains or, in time, yours. You can have the privilege of performing those duties as a nurse.

Or not. I worked in a humongous ICU for a long time; we went many, many months without a death. We were sorta supposed to prevent that, y'know? I don't know where anyone gets the idea that all you ever see, smell, or do in nursing involves excreta, ejecta, or death. It's such a small part, a minuscule part, of giving intelligent, educated health care to people and families that most nurses you talk to will laugh and tell you they stopped thinking about it years and years ago. Barely makes the radar.

You will not be sixteen forever, fortunately. You will mature and learn from people more experienced than yourself, and only then you can choose how to proceed with your life. There should be few hard limits at this age; poop and postmortem care are insignificant in the infinite scheme of things. Be brave, mature, and thoughtful; without minor fears to limit yourself you can do great things. Be a nurse.

You mean what we do besides the cute doctors? :roflmao:

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · May 21, 2013

OP: If you are asking this question, my strong assumption is that you won't last long in nursing ... :no:

Elkay · May 21, 2013

Yes, believe it or not all humans poop, pee, and sometimes get sick.

MotherRN · May 21, 2013

Yes, I am a 16 year old senior in high schol (graduating pretty early), and I was planning on going to my local community college to obtain an Associates Degree in Nursing;
But i am having 2nd thoughts considering that NURSES have to perform tasks such as cleaning poop and dealing with dead bodies.

It's amazing what gross things you can get used to in life. Before you walk away from nursing, consider that just plain being a mom means you do many of the same gross things that nurses do...babies poop and your clean it up...they also throw up ALL OVER YOU!!! And, you get used to it. You get used to the same gross things in nursing because you learn to accept the bodies natural processes and understand that you are helping someone else in their time of need. It really is something you learn to accept in stages. You have to give it time. Starting by anticipating things that may bother you is actually a positive self defense mechanism- you are intellectually preparing yourself to face your demons or fears. Recognizing a fear is there is half the battle to overcoming it.

As for post mortem care...you learn to accept death as a natural part of life. It is not something to be dreaded. Also, nursing lets you provide compassionate care to another family in their time of need.

Keep exploring the field and looking in the specialties section to learn about what different areas of nursing are like on a daily basis. You may find one that interests you!

Best wishes!

julieface · May 21, 2013

When I was in high school I felt the same way. I didn't think I had it in me to deal with bodily fluids and sick people. Give yourself some time before you decide one way or the other about nursing. Choosing your career is not something to rush. Get some life experience first.

Annachu512, BSN, RN · May 21, 2013

Lol what did you think nurses did? Just slap the bandaids on after giving a shot? Nope, even as just a nursing student I dealt with sputum, vomit, poop, pee, blood, hacking, after birth, placenta...and I'm still in school. But honestly, if you have a knack for it you get to the point where you don't even think about it. Humility goes right out the window. Good luck with your decisions :)

IrishErin · May 21, 2013

Often the poo is more attractive to deal with than the person it came out of.

Hear, hear! Lol

fasnv · May 21, 2013

I always wanted to be a doctor when I was a young kid. Unfortunately, I was unable to get in medical schools because of financial issues as I had trouble finishing my high school. My mother died when I was 9 years old and my father abandoned me. However, I graduated in high school at age 18. I could graduate as early as age 14 or age 15. Anyway, for some reason, being a doctor was dead in my mind. After two years later, I got in a computer science major. Still, I was unsuccessful in this discipline. I was running out of money again. I stopped and saved some more money to finish the whole term. Well, I didn't graduate. I barely finished two semesters in college. To cut a long story short, somebody offered me a scholarship to get in nursing schools. Many of people around me told me that I just winded up cleaning butts, so I didn't think twice to reject that offer. I was grossed and disappointed that wiping butts shouldn't require me to kill myself in studying biology classes and beyond. Nowadays, I regret for not accepting that offer. I resented myself for ignoring my own voice , but to people's opinion who had no knowledge how actually nurses work.

If I could turn the clock back, I'd take nursing school and then to become a nurse practitioner. When I realized I do want to be a nurse(replacement of my dream), I'm way more motivated than before. Nowadays, I read a lot of sciences to catch up... I feel like I'm a new student. :)

My input, do things that you want, not what people say/think about things in their physical environment. When we are younger, we tend to gross out easily. That's typical for most young people. I was one of these people.

icuRNmia · May 21, 2013

Imagine the most gross, disgusting thing you would allow yourself to think of a nurse doing. Now you will have to eat your lunch because its the only 5 mins you have in 12 hours. If you can keep it down then ~Welcome to our world!