Am I bedside nurse material?

[CallMeSally]

Hi everyone on allnurses and guests.

I'm pretty new here and nursing school for me starts September but because it starts in September I just think of myself as a pre nursing student. Sorry if I'm wrong for thinking that but I just feel that way.

Anyways, I'm excited to enter the world of nursing and there are a few specialties I'm interested in...

But I have a few problems....

Poop is not my thing and I can't stand the sight of worms of ANY kind. . To be honest, I'll handle poop that's not in a toilet.

I'll suck it up for poop (liquidy poop is better looking to be honest and again, not in a toilet bowl) but worms is a big no no. Weird thing is...is that I'm interested in being a ER nurse or an ICU nurse. To be honest any bedside nurse specialty would look good at this stage if there was NO chance of worms or...ugh, maggots.

(I considered neonatal before but I read that it's limited especially compared to peds so not really a big fan but if it's my only option then so be it.)

So am I bedside nurse material? Er nurse or ICU material or am I doomed?

I know I can change my mind about specialties but what if I don't? Best to know now than never.

P.S

Sorry if this is the wrong area to put this question in. Sorry for the nurses annoyed by this question but I haven't found any worried about worms in nursing like I am.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Over thinking it. You will man up to make your patient comfortable.

[xxstarrynitesxx]

You may see worms in the ER as well. I have heard lots of stories. There are other specialities out there that may limit your exposure to fecal matter and anything that may wriggle. You may also be fortunate enough to have coworkers that you can swap some things around with.

[CallMeSally]

Thank you both for replying so quickly.

@xxstarrynitesxx

What specialties would those be? Would it still be considered 'bedside'?

[xxstarrynitesxx]

You're welcome! I can think of dermatology, surgery, oncology, cardiac care, OB, and burn care. I think you can find more on discover nursing. I am not sure which ones are considered bedside per se, but you can start your search there and see if there is something that interests you.

[hardworkpaysoff, MSN, RN]

You'll learn what interests you once you get to clinicals. Unfortunately clinicals are limited on outpatient and home health experiences. There is a lot of flexibility in nursing.

Just fyi, you will see plenty of poop and get immune to it in the ICU and ER. Oftentimes there are NO nurse assistants in ICU. These are bed ridden acutely ill patients and when they poop you will simply gather a coworker to help and safely clean them without interfering with the multiple lines going.

Also in ER, I have seen many patients (alcoholic, homeless, living in car etc.) come in soiled with poop and wounds out of this world (some with maggots). Not trying to scare you. Just saying you have to be willing to put on your mask and look at the bigger picture. Lots of times poop is a good sign. Don't let feces hold you back from any area you're interested in. It happens.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

You haven't even STARTED nursing school and you are worried about what specialty you're going to work in???

What you know about nursing (or its specialties) is from TV, story books, other peoples tales, imagination? When you study something you will take on a whole new perspective and appreciation for the work. You got time.

Keep your mind open to the wonders of nursing and be awed everyday.

[NurseKait_11, BSN, RN]

I think you're over thinking it a bit too much. More often than not, some nurses have something that may gross them out and you can't totally avoid that bodily function. You'll figure out what you like and don't like in nursing school, so don't worry so much about a specialty yet. Go into something you are passionate about instead of trying to completely avoid a specialty all together, you'll figure it out and might be surprised what you like and how much you can handle! You're not even in the trenches yet so don't worry so much. You'll get used to things as you go along. One thing I've learned: breathe through your mouth! Good luck!

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I've been a nurse for 10 years and I've never encountered a worm of any kind in any of my jobs.

Poop in a toilet bowl (which I imagine you see in your own life every day) is probably the LEAST common poop you'll see in nursing. If someone can walk to the toilet to poop in it they can flush it and tell you that they pooped. Unless you work on an eating disorders unit where the clients are not allowed to flush the toilet, that is. You'll more likely encounter poop in nursing in diapers, in beds, in commodes, in colostomy bags. Once when I was a bedside nurse, I had a patient poop in the shower.