activities of daily living problem

[ManyQuestions]

No flaming replies to this serious issue please!

I want to start a second career in medicine. Shortly I will be starting an ADN program, but I'm struggling mentally with a few things about nursing. I took a nursing assistant class as a warm up and I've just dropped it. The classwork was interesting but I just can't tolerate the clinical work were doing at the nursing home. Wiping asses, feeding demented patients who can't carry on a conversation with you, don't open their mouths for oral care, patients who have to be moved with total mechanical lifts who do nothing but lay there all day...it's horrible, just miserably depressing and unbearable awful.

My question is: Can I work as a nurse and avoid spending a lot of time on activities of daily living? Call me arrogant, but I really feel that my time (even untrained!) is too valuable to spend feeding a patient. Anyone can feed a patient, they don't need two to four years of schooling and clinical training to do it. I want to start IV's, clean wounds, give meds, educate patients, stuff that requires training. What are the best departments to work in if you don't like ADLs? ER?

[colleen10]

To Many Questions,

I think I understand what you are saying if I am getting your posts right.

I spent the first 7 weeks of my 1st clinical rotation at a state run LTC facility. By the end of the 7 weeks myself, classmates and Instructor were more than ready and grateful to move onto the Med/Surg. floor of the hospital.

None of us is "beneath" wiping a bum, feeding or lifting a patient. But the experience was quite hard. It was hard to go in every week and see these patients who were once bright, healthy and capable people have to wear adult diapers and not even be able to lift a spoon up to their own mouths. It wasn't that we thought it was beneath us to spend 1/2 hour feeding a patient or set them upon a commode and wipe for them, it was just that we had to do it for them because they could no longer do it for themselves.

Also, our clinical experience while on the floor at the LTC didn't require a lot of "brain power". There weren't any care plans in place for the residents, there was no "nursing process" in use. The floor was understaffed and a good day was one where we could get everyone a bath before lunchtime. Every minute of the day was focused on being able to meet the basic physical and Safety needs of the patients (Maslow's Law) which is of course extremely important but isn't the entirety of what nursing is. We fed everyone breakfast and then moved to the task of bathing, dressing and getting some of them up out of bed. AS SOON as that was done it was right back to feeding them lunch. These patients were not sent there to get better, just to live out the rest of their days, while they did get good care by way of bathing, meals, sincered care and concern from the staff, etc. there was not a lot of "thinking" put into how to make them get better, deal with current medical problems or prevent others from occuring.

It wasn't until we made it to the Med. Floor that we got to see the nursing process in action, etc. Sure, we still may wipe bums and give bed baths but it isn't the only thing we do all day long. We assist in administering meds. and really think about how the meds. and our Nursing Diagnoses are going to help the patient get better, educate them, and see what we can do to make sure that once they get home they will be remain safe and healthy.

From my perspective I would advise you to think about what you didn't like during your experience in CNA class and at the LTC facility. Was it that you don't ever want to have to wipe a bum again in your lifetime OR is that you just couldn't handle spending that much time doing the basic care in the LTC environment?

If you do not ever want to have to wipe a bum or feed someone again then I have to agree that nursing isn't for you because you will have to do that. But, if you think you just didn't like your CNA experience because it seemed that this was ALL you did and you found the atmosphere hard to deal with then I would encourage you to shadow an RN in a hospital, community setting, or elsewhere because I think you will then see that there is a lot more to it. LTC isn't for everyone. It is very hard work emotionally and spiritually.

Good Luck in whatever you decide,

Col

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Nursie30

Most replies have said, "Not flaming you here, but get out of nursing, or chose another profession, well..........I just think that is sad.

And Manyquestion is correct when he says it doesn't take much intelligence to be a nurse, 10% of nursing is knowledge the other 90% is common sense.

You're right about the common sense thing. But I consider common sense part of intelligence, but that's semantics.

I again say there wasn't much flaming, if any in this thread. He asked an question and got honest answers. If "most" of the people said one thing, doesn't make it right, but perhaps he should consider what "most" of the experienced people are saying. Most are saying, ADLs are part of, if not the career, then the training, and the gaining of experience immediately post-grad.

No one said you have to enjoy wiping butts to be a nurse.

[nurseygrrl, LPN]

No one said you have to enjoy wiping butts to be a nurse.

I am offended by that comment! I DO enjoy wiping butts! Does that mean something's wrong with me? Stop flaming me already!!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by HerEyes73

I am offended by that comment! I DO enjoy wiping butts! Does that mean something's wrong with me? Stop flaming me already!!

Yes, sweetness, there is definately something wrong with you. But it goes way beyond the scope of this BB. :roll