During school, did you see anything gruesome

ann945n, RN · Feb 14, 2008

For me suctioning sputum is the hardest thing to do.... its the sound of suctioned mucus, makes me want to vomit every time!

As well I have a hard time watching child birth, all I can think is "there is a person coming out of that person" as I precede to loose control and pass out..... this is why I cant do L&D

RNandlovingit · Feb 14, 2008

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.

Okay I started out in mother/baby, L & D .. your post made me think of all the dads out there that just couldnt stand to look down nether to see their baby being born.. Always made sure a chair was ready for the really squirmy ones!!!!!! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

gdelrosa · Feb 14, 2008

Butt surgery on an ample woman who hadn't washed in a long time.
Let's see. Oh yeah, a really productive trach on a dying patient. Bad.
An ICU patient with weeping edema (more like running off her in all directions) and a PEG tube, along with the vent, central line, peripheral lines, and a whole bunch of other stuff. IMPOSSIBLE to keep anything clean or dry, and to top it off she had explosive liquid diarrhea and MRSA. We put in a rectal tube and proceeded to have a better day.

Wow... that last patient was a winner. Poor thing.

cmonkey · Feb 15, 2008

We put in a rectal tube and proceeded to have a better day.

I'd have paid good money for one of those when I had the dreaded Norwalk recently. :lol2:

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 15, 2008

In the "gruesome" category so far, I've seen many Stage 4 Pressure Sores (some so bad that we dubbed them Stage 5) and a massive GI bleed, the smell of which took me weeks to forget...and I used to spend summers milking cows on a farm so you'd think I'd be an expert at tuning out smells!

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Feb 15, 2008

Ah yes. That distinctive GI bleed smell.

mcknis · Feb 15, 2008

Trach care, suctioning, code browns, active GI bleeders, etc. don't have any effect on me, but bring on the pizza and I am fine. Food somehow gets my mind off of anything nasty. Smells don't really bother me. The one thing that just truly gets to me is the dentures that have been left in for 2weeks without being removed, brushed, rinsed, etc and the odor that arises from the food encrusted on them. (Don't believe it? Actually seen several pts this way...sick!)

I love gruesome things and have a very strong stomach for odors, sights, sounds, etc.

blueheaven · Feb 17, 2008

Hmmm, on my rotation through ER one of my former classmates came in as a MVA rollover with a smooshed head...that was pretty gross. Then on ICU rotation a man came in who was in a manufacturing accident with the back of his head missing and you could see the (what was left) brain...ewwwww.