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

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I'm going to get straight to the point.

Is it true that nurses have to change "poopy" diapers/patients and or deal with dead bodies?

I would love to get into nursing, but those are my deal breakers.

PLEASE HELP. All answers will be very much appreciated.

Don't be shy, and thank you in advance!

I just think of poop as mashed potatoes, apple sauces, blended steaks, etc. :roflmao:

Specializes in Psych.

Yes. Especially as a nursing student... you will absolutely assist patients with personal hygeine. Once you graduate, you may be able to find employment that is more paperwork (insurance) or psych. As an RN, one of the grossest things I've done is assist patients after a new colostomy. Helping them adjust to their new device, adjust their body image mentally, and learn how to take care of it... many of my colleagues consider it VERY gross.. but I love that job.

Wound care, in general, can get pretty disgusting - but again, I love that job.

Psych doesn't typically deal with personal hygeine or dead bodies - but you will learn many other body fluids.

In summary, if these are deal breakers for you, nursing probably isn't your ideal career field. Maybe dental hygeinist? Or Respiratory? (If you can handle spit, blood, and sputum... )

Specializes in Critical Care.

hahahahaah you're joking right??

firstly, a good nurse, as long as she has the time, will assist the nursing assistant with bath time because it is the perfect time to do a skin assessment with your patient. while the assistant is washing the legs, i can be listening to the lung sounds. to time it up just so is rare, but awesome.

if the assistant doesnt clean your patient, guess who is in trouble? you are. if you patient gets skin breakdown from staying dirty and no baths, gets bedsores from not being turned, gets a clot because they haven't gotten out of bed to the chair in 5 days, don't have the strength to get better because they havent been eating, etc those become very "rn-centric" problems. but those are technically assistant duties. see what i mean?

and yes, you absolutely, positively need to care for dead bodies. unless they are a coroners case, which then you would leave every single cord, needle, old pain patch, etc, body in the same position, for investigation. but for a funeral home pick up and most importantly, for the family to come by and view the body should that be their wish, you MUST care for the dead.

it is creepy the first couple times. i was terrified that i would turn them and they would come alive. i know i know, silly. and also the body still bleeds and oozes after death, so that it weird at first. rigor mortis does not kick in for a while. you have time.

Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

You have to remember that people will try to take care of themselves if they can, but often they are sick or incapable of taking care of themselves.

My daughter got her CNA license when she turned 18. She works in a skilled nursing/long term care facility and deals with a lot of incontinent folks. She doesn't complain or get sick, she cleans them up and takes care of them, treating each person with respect. And yes, she has taken care of deceased patients...she was more upset at losing a client dear to her than taking care of the body. You have to remember that these clients are someones mother/father, sister/brother, wife/husband and/or grandparent. How would you want your grandmother or father taken care of? You treat the client the same way you want your family member treated. You look past the poop and think of the person.

My daughter is almost 19 and started her BSN nursing program on Monday. She doesn't flinch at bodily fluids anymore because they aren't what really matter in the scope of things. She is already planning on becoming a Nurse Practitioner once she has a few years of floor experience under her belt and finds her niche. You need to figure out what your ultimate life goal is and what will be the most beneficial career in getting there, don't disregard a profession because you are stuck on one very small part of the job.

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.

This. Totally second this. I could not imagine doing all the "gross" things as a teen either. It's part of what kept me away from even considering the medical field for so long.

And then I had kids... LOL! And my world changed. I've been pooped, peed, vomitted and bled on more times than I can count/remember. And it doesn't even phase me anymore. It's one of those things you end up not thinking about in the moment. You just take care of it and move on with your day.

No, dealing with a grown adults poop is a no no. I am sorry, not everyone has the stomach for it.

Yeah, not everyone is cut out for nursing, but I'm sure you will find the right career for you! Good luck!

Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

Don't have kids then. You will most certainly have to deal with poopy diapers LOL. and every other bodily fluid.

Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

Those might be the two least gross things you'd have to deal with as a nurse.

Specializes in Pedi.
No, dealing with a grown adults poop is a no no. I am sorry, not everyone has the stomach for it.

How is this any different from the poop that comes out of your body? It's just poop. What if your parent or grandparents become incontinent in their elder years? Someone's got to deal with it... Or, what if, in the future you have a disabled child who will be in diapers forever?

There are, btw, plenty of areas of nursing that do not involve changing adults' diapers.

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.

I agree with this also. The OP is only 16, she was asking an innocent question. Don't be so hard on her for not wanting to deal with poop.

I didn't either at that age! We shouldn't discourage her from nursing or health care, its not all about poop as some PPs have said.

:)

No, dealing with a grown adults poop is a no no. I am sorry, not everyone has the stomach for it.

You may need to wrap your head around doing this sometime in your future anyway. What if your future partner has a surgery or accident or something and needs help going to the restroom for a period of time?

Poop is a part of life. Whether you are a nurse or not, if you intend to have a family, you will deal with poop and bodily fluids at some point in your lifetime.

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