As a Nurse what are some things that make you sick?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2010

Mucus and phlegm make me cringe, especially when I am performing trach care.

But, above all else, the rude and self-entitled people in healthcare facilities make me sick. Verbally abusive visitors, unrealistic family members, loud physicians who throw temper tantrums, unprofessional managers, bully coworkers, and overly demanding patients all seem to take a toll.

It would be optimal if people treated each other with more RESPECT.

Josh.P · Jan 25, 2010

I worked in L&D for years, so I got used to urine, feces, vomit and blood real fast. Suctioning mucus makes me gag, but the worst for me was witnessing an orthopedic surgery on a pregnant woman. I was there to monitor the fetus. The mother had a leg fracture. When they started drilling and hammering, I almost passed out!

Oh my goodness! I would have beat you to the floor im sure! lol. I would have just tried not to look! haha

supernurse1230 · Jan 25, 2010

i can deal with the bm, and even vomit, but i dont like snot, and i dont like to feed a resident pureed food, and see it come out the sides of their mouth, it just looks like disgusting baby food, ugh!

skittlebear · Jan 25, 2010

short-staffing and crazy management!

Sorry, can't think of anything else such as bodily fluids. I am pretty immune to that!

shan4691 · Jan 25, 2010

suctioning a trach...well basically anything to do with mucus and vomit.

proudnurseRN · Jan 25, 2010

Vomit only gets to me when it smells bad. You know the kind...chunks of spaghetti all over the place.... BLECH..

Occassionally colostomy's get to me too. That ones hit and miss, and I think it's more hit when I'm already quesy from not feeling 100%

benitarae · Jan 25, 2010

I think the only thing that has made me go (yuk) are respiratory secretions. For some reason they make me feel like choking. I worked in a clinic on the other end of things and that did not bother me, Just think, we all have orifice's-if we are lucky! But a trach pt clearing his throat when the trach is out to be cleaned and you ask him not to clear secretions until the hole is covered but he does it anyway and you have mucus all over yourself-just don't know how to overcome this.

What bothers me most are patients who do not wash! The stench is not unlike a decaying body or the stench of pig poop., rancid. I suppose there is a phobia the patient has, aversion to water maybe. But you still have to treat them with dignity, it's the ethical thing to do. These people must have a very limited social structure and I can only imagine the lonliness they must feel.

So I guess what I'm saying is you have to find a way to walk a mile in the patient's shoes in all yukky stuff!

dannyc12 · Jan 25, 2010

What do you do to get passed it? just doing it over time?

No, it is not just doing it. The key is the context.

Whatever situation you are in, you will have a role to perform and I am assuming that role will not to be to point at the patient and yell, "EEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!"

You may cough, you may gag, you may throw up, but you will not let any of those get in the way of performing your duties - whatever they are. The advantage we have as healthcare workers is that in those situations, we have something to DO. For some reason, viewing the things you once found "icky", while they are still icky, will provoke a markedly different reaction in you.

scoochy · Jan 25, 2010

Have you ever had to disimpact someone?? It is so humiliating and painful for the individual!! Bring back the warm prune juice and cascara!

meadow85 · Jan 25, 2010

Cleaning up loose or melena stool and then having that lingering smell ... ugh!

Ashera, LPN · Jan 25, 2010

Mucous-y, gray-tinged slime from trachs -

the smell of old teeth, dirty mouths in geri's refusing mouth care from aides, nurses or family members and the dentures they pull out - smells like nothing else

not big on gangrene either

AimeeJo RN · Jan 25, 2010

prosthetic eyes, removing or inserting them gives me the willys. and colostomies