I have just completed my first year as an RN, BSN a couple of weeks ago. Nothing much to celebrate after I find out that I worked that hard
only to be cleaning so much poop as a person with a 4 year degree.
I think the nursing profession is too modest and afraid to admit that someone else should be doing the dirty job. I love medicine....and I love being a nurse even when orders pile up, and next shift nags at you for every little thing undone during your shift because of time constrictions, like they come on their shift to just sit around and do nothing. I can take snobby, unexperienced, stubborn doctors; I can get along fine with middle-aged bitter, old nurses; I can handle grumpy patients, and suspicious families; I can handle snobby unlicensed assist. personnel; I can handle all that even when all that can be tiring.
But on top of all that, we RNs have to clean poop! I think that is why the nursing profession don't get so much credit, that's why nurses grow old bitter and eat the next generation of nurses, it's because they are overworked, underpaid, and cleaning poop really lowers their morale. You get out of school thinking wow i'm a professional....I worked so hard...then you go and clean poooppp....!!! Nasty, foul smelling poop.
For that reason.....only for that reason I am quitting being a hospital staff nurses at the Veteran's Hospital. I am going to continue being an RN, but not one who cleans poop. I hate that poopy part of our profession, so shoot me. :welcome:
I don't mind cleaning up the poop. I was born into a working class family, and from the time I was old enough to work I realized I was going to work (pardon the pun) "crap jobs." Prior to being a nurse I was a carpenter/general laborer. The only difference is that I get paid more as a nurse. I figured if I was going to work a crap job I might as well get job security and paid more to do it! My general ideology about work is that I'll do anything if the money is right. Well, almost anything. But then again if we were talking in the million dollar an hour range I would do anything. Any time I feel dissatisfied with my job I think back to what I was doing previously and feel thankful that at least I get to work indoors.
The higher the level of education the more important total body care should be.
harley, i really appreciated your post.
i thought it was wonderful.
your last statement gave me pause.
no matter how high the degree, some things just cannot be taught.
one can be brilliant and educated.
this does not equate with the needed sensitivity in dealing with such personal and invasive issues.
actually, i've worked with many cna's who have made their pts feel safe and cared for:
moreso than the many nurses i've worked with.
sometimes i think that those who are 'stuck and struggling', are more empathetic to others who suffer-whether it be from embarrassment or more notable hardship.
I like to tell my guys " . . . .as long as it comes out, I don't care."
On my first day of orientation for nursing school, we had several of the nursing faculty tell us that nursing is not for everybody and that it was okay if it wasn't for you. There's a lot of things it entails that may not "click" with a person.. There's no shame in knowing one's limitations. The OP's may be body fluid.
Also, to the OP: One thing I did when pregnant and the sound of someone retching sent me over the edge was to trade "gross jobs" with a co-worker. I got her poop if she got my nausea and vomiting. Could an arrangement like that keep you at bedside? It would be a shame to lose someone from direct patient care if that's the only thing you can't stand.
Also, to the OP: One thing I did when pregnant and the sound of someone retching sent me over the edge was to trade "gross jobs" with a co-worker. I got her poop if she got my nausea and vomiting. Could an aggangement like that keep you at bedside? It would be a shame to lose someone from direct patient care if that's the only thing you can't stand.
I work the night shift in which the nurses really work as a team. I've noticed that many have different things they can handle and different things they prefer not to. It isn't unheard of for nurses to trade if necessary.
After seeing my own mom's experience when she was a patient last year, I've definitely changed my thought in this matter. Here is a proud woman, very independent who due to illness found herself not doing the most basic personal care. It has made a major impression on me, and it is more important for me to make sure that the patient is comfortable than my own discomfort in cleaning poop.
I ran into a HS classmate of mine who asked me if I was a CNA. I told him that I was and his response was "So you change diapers right?" I told him yes as that is part of my job and I will still be doing it as a nurse. He proceeded to tell me that he didn't want to go into nursing because of that. I wasn't offended because there are many jobs out there that are too "disgusting" for me to do, or jobs that I KNOW I would not be happy doing. Do I enjoy poop? Heck no! LOL! But it's the least of my concern and I would take that anyday in place of the things that Trama mentioned. I will admit, however, that the idea of one day having to give an enema makes me weak in the stomach.
No, don't really think that's it. I don't think poop lowers morale. I think it has to do more with management and PG scores and coworkers who think they are better than the job.
And if you think having a 4 year degree precludes you from cleaning poop: I had a MD with alot more than a 4 year degree help me (a CNA with no degree, what you must think of me) with a complete bath, bed change that included cleaning poop and a turn. You're probably asking why a dr would ever do such a thing. Because that dr knew the meaning of teamwork and even with her multiple degrees she never thought she was above anyone else.
If you hate cleaning poop that much it's probably best that you quit bedside nursing. It's ok to hate cleaning poop. But coming off as elitist isn't. And I would bet you all the tea in China that you poop and it stinks, and that you wipe your own butt too.
Funny you mention snobby unlicensed personnel. I just cannot stand snobby licensed personnel.
I work labor and delivery, and you can bet that I clean up poop every single shift (we have a few docs that live by the motto "if you're not pooping, you're not pushing" :)). I can honestly say that it doesn't bother me one bit. As long as my patient is clean and comfortable, I'll do whatever I have to do to make that happen.
We're all going to be in that position one day where we have to rely on others for total care. Hopefully when my day comes I'll have nurses that are as great as all of you that contributed to this post!
I am but a pre-nursing student in my first semester and I agree that "poop happens" I have no delusions that I won't have to clean poop and that, like many here said, is just a small part of the job.
I wipe my little one's butt everyday and she can be really stinky sometimes but if I don't do it, her butt will be dirty and no one deserves a dirty butt. I guess that's the way I feel about patients. It will be my job to care for them and the key word is "care." Why wouldn't you want to help them out of a yucky situation? You're supposed to care for them and that's part of it.
Again "poop happens" - and I will gladly clean it up if it makes my patients comfortable.
Of course, having not yet wiped a stranger's butt, it's easy for me to say that, but I am well aware it will happen. I still want to be a nurse, poop or no.
I have just completed my first year as an RN, BSN a couple of weeks ago. Nothing much to celebrate after I find out that I worked that hard
only to be cleaning so much poop as a person with a 4 year degree.
I think the nursing profession is too modest and afraid to admit that someone else should be doing the dirty job. I love medicine....and I love being a nurse even when orders pile up, and next shift nags at you for every little thing undone during your shift because of time constrictions, like they come on their shift to just sit around and do nothing. I can take snobby, unexperienced, stubborn doctors; I can get along fine with middle-aged bitter, old nurses; I can handle grumpy patients, and suspicious families; I can handle snobby unlicensed assist. personnel; I can handle all that even when all that can be tiring.
But on top of all that, we RNs have to clean poop! I think that is why the nursing profession don't get so much credit, that's why nurses grow old bitter and eat the next generation of nurses, it's because they are overworked, underpaid, and cleaning poop really lowers their morale. You get out of school thinking wow i'm a professional....I worked so hard...then you go and clean poooppp....!!! Nasty, foul smelling poop.
For that reason.....only for that reason I am quitting being a hospital staff nurses at the Veteran's Hospital. I am going to continue being an RN, but not one who cleans poop. I hate that poopy part of our profession, so shoot me. :welcome:
I am a very proud middle age, bitter old nurse who gets along just fine with 4yr grads who think their poop don't stink! Sorry, I could not resist! It is what it is,,,,poop is part of our job,does not matter if u r a cna,lpn,2,3,4 yr grad,or Doc. When u find it, u clean it!
Laughter and compassion can make a "crappy" (sorry I had to do it) situation enjoyable.
Somebody had to.
Chloe, get some Vicks and smear it under your nose.
As to cleaning - I somehow don't mind it at all. Never did. I would, however, like fewer people for whom I'm expected to do full care. I detest having to make someone wait, perhaps in their own waste, because we haven't enough personnel.
is part of our job,does not matter if u r a cna,lpn,2,3,4 yr grad,or Doc. When u find it, u clean it!
november17, ASN, RN
1 Article; 980 Posts
I don't mind cleaning up the poop. I was born into a working class family, and from the time I was old enough to work I realized I was going to work (pardon the pun) "crap jobs." Prior to being a nurse I was a carpenter/general laborer. The only difference is that I get paid more as a nurse. I figured if I was going to work a crap job I might as well get job security and paid more to do it! My general ideology about work is that I'll do anything if the money is right. Well, almost anything. But then again if we were talking in the million dollar an hour range I would do anything. Any time I feel dissatisfied with my job I think back to what I was doing previously and feel thankful that at least I get to work indoors.