A little off topic...

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But you guys are basically my coworkers, and I need somewhere to talk this out.

So as many of you know I am in Nursing School, classes start in 9 days and clinicals start the week after.

So many of the women in my cohort are being a little overly dramatic about the likelihood that their clothing/shoes/watch will get bodily fluids on them. Fo example several of them have opted for all leather shoes to protect their feet from blood/urine. Even to the point of buying shoes that are less comfortable?

I have worked in healthcare for a long time, and I have worked bedside as a sitter/MA and have not really ever been in a situation where my feet were at risk of getting that dirty and the rest of my body was fine? Like if you have that much blood or urine coming your way you'll be getting it on your leg/sock/etc and your foot.

I dk it just seems silly.

Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

Anticipation can do wonders to your imagination...so can watching a great deal of healthcare shows on TV. I say let these future nurses have their drama in anticipation of upcoming nursing school, many really do not know what to expect except only from TV shows/movies.

You sound like a well grounded person who more than likely will rise as a leader with your peers, mentor them wisely.

Thank of it this way...the first baby you have they get all the attention, all the new things...the best- one would never use dollar store diapers my baby must have Pampers. After the second or 3rd baby you are so over it and will dress you baby in anything that is clean at the moment.

Those student nurses will learn, if they do not then they will not last long.

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Specializes in NICU.
But you guys are basically my coworkers, and I need somewhere to talk this out.

So as many of you know I am in Nursing School, classes start in 9 days and clinicals start the week after.

So many of the women in my cohort are being a little overly dramatic about the likelihood that their clothing/shoes/watch will get bodily fluids on them. Fo example several of them have opted for all leather shoes to protect their feet from blood/urine. Even to the point of buying shoes that are less comfortable?

I have worked in healthcare for a long time, and I have worked bedside as a sitter/MA and have not really ever been in a situation where my feet were at risk of getting that dirty and the rest of my body was fine? Like if you have that much blood or urine coming your way you'll be getting it on your leg/sock/etc and your foot.

I dk it just seems silly.

I do not know why it matters to you. so much ,.....It is each nurses personal choice and if they do not want to be looking like slobs all day they should learn to use PPE .

No patient wants to see another's vomit or blood on your shirt when you are caring for them.Those nurses concerned about spills might turn out to be your best friend and have your back because they will always be prepared with extra gloves,booties, whatever.They might not leave you a dirty patient with maggots in his mouth or a suction canister full with 800 ml of pus,green,phlegm secretions.

Nursing shoes are not supportive enough,but I always preferred the comfort of full leather, new balance .My foot doctor did not recommend easy spirit because although comfy not needing much breaking in ,they were useless in a short time.The leather was less permeable to fluids.

So not silly by any means if you use PE correctly they will be fine,certain areas you are more prone to getting big splashes but it could happen anywhere even away from the bedside.

It could be a visitor vomiting at the bedside or hallway,elevator.

As for those "silly" students you are concerned about,they will find out soon enough if this profession is meant for them or not. ;)

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Specializes in Critical care, Trauma.

I've been working in the hospital setting for 3 years. The first two were on a post surg/oncology floor, so lots of diarrhea, even more nausea/vomiting, various fluids in drains, etc are involved. I've only ever had one incident where I was concerned about my clothes, and that was after a patient projectile vomited *over* their emesis bag, across the bed, and onto my hip and leg from where I was standing at the foot of the bed. I did grab some clean surgical scrubs after that. Recently in the ICU had a massive code brown situation that went down the pt's bed and onto the floor, so in being methodical we donned shoe covers and placed chux on the floor, and put on contact gowns in case we were to brush up against poopy bedding. It's just all in a day's work, but it's not really anything to get upset about. I had more problems as a CNA in LTC because, if I didn't aim at the residents with the spray head just right in the massive walk-in shower room, I'd get wet feet/shoes and had no alternates to change into. Had to grab some Lotrimin for that.

I like the above comment about this being a self-correcting problem. It will be interesting to see how everyone's attitudes change by the end of the program. Those that decide to stay and handle the fluids, anyway.

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Wow. In the few months I've worked as a CNA before staring RN school I've had my feet **** on, I've been pissed on, spit on and puked on. By the way, crocs are great because you can just hose the **** right off of them.

I'm simply dumb-founded that people start RN school being so clueless.

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Best bet is Ariat cowboy boots and Bickmore Bick4 Leather conditioner. Boot Barn has a myriad of boots for sale and accessories.

I do not own a single pair of shoes. I haven't in maybe 3 to 4 years? All I wear are Ariat's. They are not only comfortable, but easy to clean, last for years, and I've had mine soaked many times. It will bleed onto socks in extreme rain or snow. But for even ER use, you should be fine.

Oh yeah, and they can theoretically be deep cleaned, conditioned AND water proofed with motor oil. However, OSHA really doesn't like the idea much. BUT, goes to show how awesome those things are.

Just a pointer on the norms:

If you're a man, you wear your pants leg OVER your cowboy boots

If you're a lady, you tuck the leg into the boots.

Cowboy Boots, Western Wear & More | Boot Barn

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Well, the other day I was helping another nurse place a foley and right after insertion, we immediately got sprayed with liquid feces. It came out like a chocolate geyser. I'm not sure that I've ever seen anything quite like it. I mean it was everywhere, our faces, hands, scrubs, feet, the floor, the wall, the ceiling, and it just kept coming. Doc was in the room by the computer, which was about the only place in the room that hadn't been painted in poo, and just said that he'd place an order for a rectal tube. :nurse:

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Well, the other day I was helping another nurse place a foley and right after insertion, we immediately got sprayed with liquid feces. It came out like a chocolate geyser. I'm not sure that I've ever seen anything quite like it. I mean it was everywhere, our faces, hands, scrubs, feet, the floor, the wall, the ceiling, and it just kept coming. Doc was in the room by the computer, which was about the only place in the room that hadn't been painted in poo, and just said that he'd place an order for a rectal tube. :nurse:

Never taco bell and hospital. Sorry you had to go through that!

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Specializes in Orthopedics.

I didn't used to worry about this kind of thing, and then my pt peed on the floor yesterday on the way to the bathroom hahaha. They're right to worry, I guess, but it's not that serious. It's an occupational hazard. I have Nike free RN 2018s, Adidas ultraboost and a couple g shock watches for work. These items are pretty hardy and stand up to being purple-wiped/bleached/machine washed, which is what you need for this career in my opinion. Mesh shoes will work but do it at your own risk.

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Specializes in Orthopedics.
There was one lady in my nursing class like this; weeks before school started, she's sending us study group times and telling us how to access last years' materials so we can get a head start...then during clinic she put a foley in a patients butt...so it all evens out.

There's always one.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
How in the world?! This visual....it's been a really long week! I needed a little uncanny start to my FriYAAAAY!:bugeyes:

Misplacing a Foley in your patient's butt is a little unusual -- but it makes a great rectal tube! Sadly, I've seen even experienced nurses misplace Foleys into their patient's lady parts. Doesn't drain much urine out that way; I find it hard to believe they could go through a whole 12 hour shift without noticing the problem, but there's one every year.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

I wear non liquid porous shoes to work. Either leather or another solid type shoe. I've come home with blood splatters on the top of my shoe and I've almost been peed on by a pt with dementia we were turning- the pee landed on the floor about 1 inch from my foot.

In nursing school, we were required to wear shoes that wouldn't allow liquids to seep through.

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I don't think it's that crazy. I used to wear full leather new balance and appreciated the coverage. I switched to more breathable shoes to get more air to my feet and sometimes fluids do drip through. I do miss the protection. Am I in the wrong career? Nope. I just don't always care to have other people's fluids on my socks.

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