Being an RN is there a lot of blood and guts???

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Hey I'm taking prereques to join the RN program, but everytime I tell someone I'm going to be an RN they tell me that it's all blood and guts. I know certain fields like ER or surgery is a lot of blood, but are there certain fields where there's not so much blood. What do you call those departments.. I'm not big on seeing compound fractures or really crazy lacirations. But I really do want to help people get better..

Thanks,

RJ

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Specializes in Pulmonary, MICU.

Certain areas are more predisposed to "blood and guts" for sure. ER, Surgical ICU are going to be the big ones, as will be post-operative floors (surgery floors) where you will do a lot of wound care and empty drains that will contain possibly a lot of blood. For outpatient, Dialysis deals with a lot of blood.

Areas you won't see as much blood..standard Med/Surg floors tend to have less. Medical ICU (if there is a separate surgical ICU) will have less blood. Pediatrics. Lots of outpatient choices as well. Pain Management, Cardiac Clinics. There is also home health.

But make no mistake, very few options are blood-free. Even in an outpatient setting you will probably have to do blood draws and/or start IV's. The difference is whether the blood is in a controlled area (like in a syringe/vacutainer/lab vial) or in an uncontrolled area (leaking out of the patient onto the bed/floor profusely). If you have a serious aversion to blood and/or other body fluids, nursing is probably not for you.

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Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

Only when having to deal with management:argue:

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Specializes in OR 35 years; crosstrained ER/ICU/PACU.

yes, there certainly is a lot of blood involved in nursing. as the first post noted - there are areas where there isn't as much potential for bloody messes, but you do have to try to get used to it. my mom was aloways amazed that i went into nursing 30 yrs. ago, because as a child i got hysterical if i saw blood. once you get into nursing schhol, you start to learn the physiology - ie. the "mechanics" of the human body. you learn to appreciate this, & to look past the "blood & guts", & realize this person needs your help! i also was a paramedic for 12 years, & saw a lot worse than sometimes makes it into the er! thank god for post-trauma counselling teams. so, once you get out of nursing school, you may feel differently. if not, as noted previously, try those options, as well as mental health, physicians' offices, school nursing, elder care (a growing need!). good luck in your decision. by the way, if you do decide to go to nursing school, be sure to find a place to sit down quickly if you do begin to feel 'woozy'....i've had my share of students go down on the floor! (i'm an or nurse).

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

I work in psych. All our pts are medically stable, no blood (unless some one falls or gets hit by another pt.) or guts in our dept.

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Specializes in ICU.

worse than blood is,,,,, body grease. ... and crusty cracks,, need I go on?

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Specializes in Nursing Home, Dementia units, & Hospital.

I work on a med/surg floor.....it's more poo and pee. Still body fluids and a lot more stinky.

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Blood and guts, not so much (unless in specialty areas as others have mentioned). Even worse- lots of vomit, diarrhea, sputum, pus, BODY ODOR, cheesy feet/skin folds/private areas (from people that are NOT bedbound and able to take a shower!)- these are the things that will make u gag :o

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Thank you all for your feedback,:yeah: I dont hate blood nor does it make me sick to see, but I'd prefer not to really see the inside of someone body for long periods of times. I can handle giving shots, IV, taking care of wounds, but some of the more gorey complex things to do, is not on the top of my list...

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Keep in mind that even in LTC or Med/Surg it is possible to see some really bad wounds, especially pressure wounds. In NS I saw a pressure ulcer on a patient's rear that was so big you could fit your fist in it - blech.

If you are like myself and many nurses I know, you learn to look past the gross and focus on the patient. I don't get grossed out much anymore. Check out this thread and see if you can stomach it to get an idea, but keep in mind that MOST days are not like that! https://allnurses.com/nursing-humor-share/what-your-most-20151.html

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I've seen some uh, interesting things in my years in Surgical ICU.

You probably would want to steer clear of Burns too.

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.
Only when having to deal with management:argue:

Tee Hee! LMAO:lol2:

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