During school, did you see anything gruesome

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi. I'm new to this site. Here's a few info about me. I'm from CA and Im 19 years old. I recently had a career route change. I first went to college undecided then I decided to pursue in Business(even though I didnt feel so passionate about it) but I always had nursing in mind; always wondered the whole works behind it. I like Biology but I am horrible in the subject. I pulled a high C :(. However, at the same time I'm a little scared of hospitals because they always reminds me the tramitized times I experienced when I was little. Long story. But anyways, I am curious...during school did you see anything gruesome? If youre out of school, did you see anything like that at work?

Hi. I'm new to this site. Here's a few info about me. I'm from CA and Im 19 years old. I recently had a career route change. I first went to college undecided then I decided to pursue in Business(even though I didnt feel so passionate about it) but I always had nursing in mind; always wondered the whole works behind it. I like Biology but I am horrible in the subject. I pulled a high C :(. However, at the same time I'm a little scared of hospitals because they always reminds me the tramitized times I experienced when I was little. Long story. But anyways, I am curious...during school did you see anything gruesome? If youre out of school, did you see anything like that at work?

Oh yeah. What most people would consider "gruesome" most nurses consider routine. I've seen a whole lot in the few years I've been nursing. I remember how astounded I was when during my first clinical rotation I observed the wound care team doing a wet to dry on a VERY obese woman with a HUGE open abdominal wound. I had no idea that nurses did these kind of things. I suggest you work as an aide for a while and see if nursing is really for you. I didn't do this and I think I would have been much more prepared for school if I had. Good luck. And remember you can do anything you put your mind to.

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I am in my second sem. of nursing school, and I gag on a daily basis-- everything makes me want to vomit. I hope to god that it eventually goes away! The worst thing I've seen thus far is a pt with pancake sized, weeping, bloody, foul smelling wounds all over her body. Interestingly enough-- no gag reflex there. I couldn't believe it.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

I'll never forget the first pressure ulcers I saw in clinical.The LTC had admitted a LOL who was end stage alzheimer's and her husband had been caring for her in their home.She had pressure ulcers on both hips,her sacrum,her elbows,heels and ears.You could see her hip bones.I had never seen anything like it...

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Yeah, you learn to deal fairly quickly, as you realize YOU are the caregiver for that patient. Patient with immune system attacking him, had weeping skin all over, dead skin flaking off him, itching, etc....and i just calmly took 45 minutes to put him back to bed.

I have more of a problem dealing with the PITA patients who think the hospital is a hotel...My priority is to ensure your health, not wiping down the next bed because your friend needs a nap....why do you think they make chairs?

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

Gruesome...

Gangrenous, decaying lower extremity. I remember the tendons stretching across his rotting leg reminded me of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Frostbitten, black toes. Ever seen charcoal-like toes that look like that might fall off i you bumped them?

Necrotizing fasciitis. Really, that in itself says it all. The surgeons had to cut a gaping abdominal incision to remove the dead tissue. The stench was awful.

Guillotine-type amputation of a severely infected leg. The bone was flush with the flesh when we changed the dressing.

There are gruesome stories--everyone has at least one...but nursing is full of many, many aspects. Different things gross out different people. Blood and guts don't bother me but lady partsl deliveries make me faint! Pick your specialty and you will be fine. Welcome to the wonderful world of nursing!

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.

The only thing that sticks out in my mind was a patient with a gangrenous leg. It was wrapped up nice so you couldn't see anything, but I was toileting her with an RN and the RN said, "Careful with that leg, it might fall off!" I saw some other stuff too that other people might consider gruesome but that really grossed me out.

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It's the smells that stick in my memory.....

Burning flesh in the OR.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, ED.

Pt in ICU with necrotizing fascitis of her abdomen and down her thighs....she was one big open gaping hole receiving wet to dry dressings.

Pt with a wound with a sinus that I had to pack...and pack...and pack

Pt with a decubitus that was her entire rear end. Smelled like death, looked worse.

but you have to remember that these things are just little instances, there are many other parts of nursing that are not gruesome and more than make up for the stomach-turning stuff.

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In nursing school, I used to have a problem with mucus. I never really saw anything gruesome as a student.

The longer I worked as a nurse, the less yucky stuff bothered me. I worked as a pregnant nurse with a keen sense of smell on a burn unit and did fine.

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:yeah:flying loogie, code brown/yellow... those are funny :D

some are disturbing like stage 4 pressure ulcers (the smell and drainage), gangrene, some cancer tumors..and burn pt's with pseudomonas infection....

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most gruesome thing while in school -- probably the amputated leg, which the surgeon gladly handed to me and instructed me to place in the cardboard box! It was more amazing than gruesome to think that the leg was attached and part of a body 1 minute before, and then I was holding it on the other side of the room!!

Most gruesome thing ever -- SPUTUM!!! I'm so glad i'm not the only one! My clinical assignment for one day involved suction q 1 hour. Copious doesn't begin to describe the situation. When the pt. coughed, it hit the wall across from the bed! AHH!:uhoh21:

I love the blood and guts, can handle a code brown like a champ, but please DON'T cough and snot on me!!!

I too made a switch from business to nursing, with a stop in between. I know I made the right choice!! And remember, you will some gruesome stuff while in school, but you'll see even more things that are absolutely amazing!:caduceus:

Good luck!!!

:nurse:Rebecca

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

HI,

If you all didn't know, I'm a guy. During my OR experience I saw a Peyronies Plaque removal. I'm sure the O.R. clinical instructor picked this one out just for me. Bottom line is it is the straightening out of a bent member. They disassembled this poor guys member until it looked like a piece of ground beef- then squished it all back together! Not the bloodiest of most involved surgery I've sat in on, but it sure made an impression on me!

The second most AAUGGHHH incident I saw in school was a couple of burn victims from a house fire. One lived, one just came it to be declared. Both were badly burned- you couldn't tell where the clothes stopped and the patient started. The smell was the worst thing you can imagine. I'd rather work a C. Diff. specialty unit for the rest of my career than face that again.

The only other "gruesome" part I can remember from school was my entire L&D rotation. I know the miracle of child birth is supposed to be a beatuiful thing but the closest I ever want to get to a woman in labor again is the grandfathers waiting room.

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