cleaning poop

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Apr 23, 2006

I just think of something different OR I just make myself feel like I am changing an infants diapers or accident. I also remind myself that this is a duty of mine, and it needs to be one for my patients well being, cleanliness, and heck...comfort big time!!!!!!!!!

Honest, with as many times as you will have to do this...you get use to it! And there are worse things to have to clean up or work with...if you have a problem with poo...never even try to change the brand new colonoscopy and c.diff infection...the smell of the infection/antibiotics/old blood mixed with bowel..will have you swoon to the floor!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, a little mentholatum under the nose helps .

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Apr 23, 2006

oops it repeated...sorry. Blank space...LOL! :idea: :uhoh21: :uhoh3: :idea:

EMS/ICU/SRNA · Apr 23, 2006

Never got used to it, hate it, that's why I'm in grad school. The only units where you would be completely excused from this duty would be non-bedside nursing or advanced practice

debbieuk · Apr 23, 2006

breathing through your mouth can help.

just remember how awful it must be for that person to have to have you wipe their bottom. if they see you gagging at the task it will make it ten times worse!

you do get used to it in time and i don't think it took me that long -the first time i had tears streaming down my face and was retching. afterwards i felt truly awful for that patient.

good luck with your training - i am sure you will see sites and do things that make cleaning poo seem easy

debbie

kmwb · Apr 23, 2006

It takes maybe 2 weeks to get used to max. If you don't get used to it in this time pick a non-poop specialty. I mean It is never the greatest thing to do, but you'll be fine. Oh and I am working LTC while im at school, and I would say about 15 times in 5 hours. (Aged care is prorbably a lot more than some other specialties though with the incont thing).

Good luck you'll be talking about poo over dinner in no time! :rotfl:

tprashad · Apr 23, 2006

yea ..thats the only thing i hate..right now i am a pre nursing student but want to take a cna course to get my foot into the door....reading this forums..made me think if i want to do nursing...is nursing for me that is..just the stuff nurses put up with ..is what make me think

control · Apr 23, 2006

If you ever have to work with quads or paras (rehab), boy, will you have to get used to it!

I distinctly remember bowel programs in effect for like 5 of 6 patients at a time. No fun.

Or a quad deciding to eat a week old casserole for a midnight snack.....

What I really can't stand is GI bleeds, pseudomonas, and c. diff. Oh and respiratory crud and vomit.

Ok, so I can't stand anything. Probably why I left floor work. :idea:

burn out · Apr 23, 2006

Nurses are not a special breed that have dna to stomach poop any more than the rest of the population. It still makes me sick-mostly the smell of it - but you just have to clench your teeth and hold your breath and work very quickly to get it cleaned up. I don't open my mouth because I don't want to taste it. I always have a buddy with me to help and then I help

them with their patient-it goes much quicker with two.

kmwb · Apr 23, 2006

I was really worried about the "poo factor" when I started working as a AIN (CNA) and I am not denying the first few weeks was pretty tough, not just the poo but all the physical requirements of the job and having the patience of a saint at times. But heres the thing say as I said 15 in 5 hours, well that equates to maximum clean-up of like an hour and a half.

I have had to deal with some pretty gross stuff in the past and have a very strong stomach.

A few points

1) I am almost completely used to the smell. (cept some peg feeds and some AB's make it nasty)

2) I actually feel good about helping people that can't care for themselves.

& 3)We all have to start at the bottom (no pun intended)

If your reasons for going into nursing are the right ones you will work through the negative aspects and thrive on the positive.

I wish you the best of luck I am sure you will be fine.

P.S. This site tends to emphasize the negatives of the job, its where nurses come to destress, but think about it the money is terrible, the hours are long, we are all underappreciated and we continue to go back for more. There must be something great about it!!! (generalisation obviously) (Pretended that there isn't an international nursing shortage when I said that)

:roll

TazziRN, RN · Apr 23, 2006

Nobody likes cleaning it but think about it from the pt's point of view. Most are embarrassed that they need help with this and even ashamed. The smell of emesis can send me running out of the room but I have to grit my teeth and bear it because I am there to help the pt. And it also helps to think "What if this were my father/mother/child?" and act accordingly. That thought has actually gotten me through a lot of yucky things.

zaggar · Apr 24, 2006

>>3)We all have to start at the bottom (no pun intended)

:roll :rotfl: