Nasty homes

Specialties Private Duty

Published

I've been doing this for a while. I've seen a lot. But wondering if maybe it's the area I live in or if it's typical in other parts of the country. But do you encounter more filthy homes than clean?

I was floated to a home where one toilet was clogged, the other had stool smeared on the back of the toilet. Dead bugs in the tubs/showers. Lots of clutter (normally I can deal with that if it's clean otherwise). Dishes piled in the sink while the entire family of 6 kids and two adults is sitting around playing video games or watching TV. The microwave covered in burned cheese. Trash cans overflowing. The list goes on, but you get the idea.

But I see more homes like that than clean homes. I don't get it. How do they live like that?

Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

i think the outside of a residence says a lot

if i pull up at a prospective new case and there's trash

and junk all over the yard, i don't even get out of the car

i've never been to an apartment, but there aren't many in

my area

0 Votes
I have been in ONE clean home since starting PDN. I can deal with clutter... filth is another thing. What I still cannot understand is respiratory patients whose families insist on having animals. Dog fur everywhere!

Barring an extreme allergy to pets, there is no reason to not have pets around respiratory patients.

We have cats and dogs. There are 7 litter boxes. You can't smell my pets, I pick up dog poop everyday from the yard, my cats wouldn't dream of getting on a countertop. You can have pets and not be disgusting.

My house has been immaculate exactly one time...The day we cleaned it before moving in! It's never been spotless since then but it's never been gross either.

0 Votes
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I've only been to two homes with a roach infestation; one with a mouse, which they did try to get rid of, including the use of feline strategy, otherwise the houses and apartments I have worked in had been pretty clean.

0 Votes
Barring an extreme allergy to pets, there is no reason to not have pets around respiratory patients.

We have cats and dogs. There are 7 litter boxes. You can't smell my pets, I pick up dog poop everyday from the yard, my cats wouldn't dream of getting on a countertop. You can have pets and not be disgusting.

My house has been immaculate exactly one time...The day we cleaned it before moving in! It's never been spotless since then but it's never been gross either.

If they were clean, I could probably agree that pets aren't bad for respiratory patients. The homes I have been to have layers upon layers of pet hair on everything. I would go home with it all over me! I mean, we're talking about tile being "carpet" because of hair.

0 Votes
If they were clean, I could probably agree that pets aren't bad for respiratory patients. The homes I have been to have layers upon layers of pet hair on everything. I would go home with it all over me! I mean, we're talking about tile being "carpet" because of hair.

Well that's just gross. I probably wouldn't recommend wearing black or navy scrubs over here because everyone likes to cuddle with nurses, lol, but I do vacuum every other day.

0 Votes
Specializes in Pediatric.
If they were clean, I could probably agree that pets aren't bad for respiratory patients. The homes I have been to have layers upon layers of pet hair on everything. I would go home with it all over me! I mean, we're talking about tile being "carpet" because of hair.

I agree. One home I went to, you could tell the dog hadn't been groomed in...ever? I would find dog hair in and around the trach. Also in the diaper. IN the DIAPER. (Of course, I reported it.) The dog wasn't trained and would poop everywhere, all the time. It was an adult dog.

I've been to homes where on the flip side, they groom their animals, maintain the litter boxes/smells/and ensure no dander ends up in the trach. All this to say, animals are not dirty. It's all in the family.

0 Votes
Specializes in Pediatric.
It is easy for me to forget that not everyone lives the way I do. I like a nice clean, tidy home and sometimes have a little mess but never filth.

I have seen rotting dish water sitting in sinks with mold, piles of dishes on counters, dirty, moldy, etc.

Oh the best was one family had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner and never cleared the table afterwards, for weeks.

Ewwww are you freakin serious?!?! Weeks?!

0 Votes
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

My client's family dog comes to the patient's room twice a day -- at the beginning of my shift to receive a treat, and at the end of my shift, to receive another treat. :)

Other than that, the dog spends all its time with the family, not in the patient's room. And the patient's room has hardwood floors and we have our own Swiffer in the room, so no icky-factor there.

0 Votes

I have been to more filthy homes than clean ones. I had roaches crawl in my hair. My husband literally started screaming when I was taking off my scrub top when I got home and they ran down my back. I just started throwing up. I have been to hoarders homes with rats running around. Not mice but rats! I'm in a home right now where I have to bring my own soap, paper towels, cleaning supplies. I also have to bring baby supplies for the child. But mom has a brand new top of the line cell phone and eats out every meal. BTW tomorrow is my last day there. I had a self talk with myself today. I should not have to supply her baby with things she should be purchasing.

0 Votes
I have been to more filthy homes than clean ones. I had roaches crawl in my hair. My husband literally started screaming when I was taking off my scrub top when I got home and they ran down my back. I just started throwing up. I have been to hoarders homes with rats running around. Not mice but rats! I'm in a home right now where I have to bring my own soap, paper towels, cleaning supplies. I also have to bring baby supplies for the child. But mom has a brand new top of the line cell phone and eats out every meal. BTW tomorrow is my last day there. I had a self talk with myself today. I should not have to supply her baby with things she should be purchasing.

That's disgusting! Child services needs to be contacted. I flat out refuse to provide supplies for patients. It's bad enough I have to bring my own soap, etc.

0 Votes
Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

I had a mom tell me that they were going to take up the carpet and put down hardwood, because the client was allergic to it. No, he's not allergic to the thick layer of dog hair, it's the carpet. She lamented that the rug doesn't give up the hair, it sticks to the fibers and the vacuum just can't pick it up. Well, that was obvious to me, the vacuum cleaner had been sitting in the same place randomly parked in the hallway for at least the last 4 weeks.

0 Votes

I love animals, however I cannot stand parents that let their animals poop and tinkle all through the house and not clean it up. Worse yet, when they have animals and they starve them. Makes my blood boil!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment