Are they oversharing or am I a prude?

grownuprosie · Mar 9, 2012

it is the same way they evade t-rexs in Jurasic park. Is you remain still, they cannot see you.

frankie,RN · Mar 9, 2012

Funny you mention that. I had a class mate who, when talking about allergies, mentioned that she was allergic to iodine. She found out when she had to get a betadine douche. That a TMI, majorly. But seriously, it doesn't stop when nursing school ends. A weekend doesn't go by thav I'm not listening to a coworker discuss periods, fibroids, prolapsed whatnots, sex, you name it. I used to sit and listen. Now I just tell them that I don't discuss unmentionables because it will make me get visuals and I can't handle that today. So not to rain on your parade, but this is only the beginning. Sadly, it doesn't stop.

nguyency77, CNA · Mar 9, 2012

That is so strange. I will never understand why some people like to talk about periods, BM, or their sex lives to complete strangers/acquaintances. I'm a CNA and my coworkers and I always talk about bodily fluids. But when they start going, "Oh SoAndSo came over to my apartment the other night and we did etc etc etc," I know that's my cue to walk away and be like, "Oh let me go get that call light... o_O "

I totally know what you mean about not hearing about "their" PMS/Sex life/BM. :nono: There is such thing as TMI, you know!

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 9, 2012

Who doesnt enjoy a good rounding discussion of catastrophic diarrhea at a restaurant.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Mar 9, 2012

After a fairly short time in nursing school, these conversations ceased to phase me at all.

Just one of the girls I guess.

commonsense · Mar 9, 2012

Before starting nursing school, I had never come accross more peers that share quite so much... um... detail. Classmates will walk up to me and start talking to me about their heavy flow or their loose stool like it is normal social hallway conversation. I have worked phones in OBGYN for many years, so I can talk about lady partss and periods with pts all day long. I am not squeemish. But I don't want to hear about your heavy flow during idle chat. you know? Is that just me? I hang out with software developers. For all I know, my friends do not have periods or BMs. I like it that way. Has anyone else dealt with this? Am I a prude? I will not be offended if you say that i am. :)

I'm actually not bothered by speaking about anything, I understand I'm weird though. Here's my advice, if someone brings up something weird like a loose BM, try to top it with an off the wall comment, but make it obvious you're joking. Example

Student: Rosie, I have the worst case of diarrhea, it's like H20 down there

Rosie: OMG the other night my man and I were having sex and I totally filled the bed with diarrhea, funny thing is he told me that was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. We went on pleasuring each other for half an hour in a diarrhea filled bed.

It's gonna take some balls to be able to say something like this, but I think people will get the point quickly enough.

Best of luck.

SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS · Mar 9, 2012

"Hmm, I don't know. You better call your PCP about that."

IronInVelvet · Mar 9, 2012

That is hysterical! Thanks for the laugh!

pinkfluffybunny · Mar 9, 2012

Guilty. I think its because you become desensensitized to most things gross. Poo becomes so much a part of your life that the stigma of saying it outloud really goes away for a lot of people. I can do it anywhere now. TMI. Of course my house is weird. My daughter, who is 13, actually made me get up and come see the biggest Poo she has ever done. one last thought I think it really is helpful for some people to get used to discussing things that would normally embarrass then. You have to ask people about their Poo.

grownuprosie · Mar 9, 2012

It's gonna take some balls to be able to say something like this, but I think people will get the point quickly enough.

all due respect, it does not take balls to be offensive. it takes balls to be decent. i just don't think being crude is necessary, which was kind of my whole point.

Wrench Party · Mar 9, 2012

I have been up way too long writing papers after a day full of clinical and work, but I find this hilarious.

Today over lunch we talked about humanure and periods. Didn't phase anyone; we kept right on truckin'.

I agree with the above opinions that if you are asking your patients these details of them (are you sexually active?

how many bowel movements a day do you have?), it serves to be comfortable with your own.

"Everyone poops".

sapphire18 · Mar 9, 2012

Also guilty. Not with acquaintances, but friends/coworkers who I've become close to. We're just desensitized against the stigma that these topics are not supposed to be talked about, because we HAVE to talk about them, day in and day out. The sex life stories, though...that's a different story.