i recently decided to change careers and i've left my office job to go back to nursing school. this is what i really want to do because i love medicine and science and i'm actually a very talented student i seem to learn the subjects with ease. but anyway, i've never worked in a hospital or around people in a healthcare setting. i had worked in a veterinarian clinic when i was in high school and i seemed fine with cleaning animal poop, blood etc. i had also been in the operating room and witnessed a few cats being spayed so i knew i was fine with blood and guts.
so while i'm waiting to get into my program i thought i would get a job as a caregiver, just to get some experience working with actual humans and see how it worked out. i found a place that had an in home caregiver job working with mentally challenged individuals and they offered to pay for me to get my caregiver license which sounded like a good deal so i accepted the job. on my first day on the job they show me what i'm going to be doing: helping patients toilet themselves, documenting the results, and bathing them. at first i thought i could handle it, but the house has 4 adult men to be cared for and when i had to watch one of them being helped on the toilet and showered i was very disturbed by it.
i don't want to sound like a prissy little princess to you experienced nurses but how can i get past the feelings of disgust? i am literally terrified of having to see these guys nude and shower them not to mention wiping their butts. i know it has to be done and i should get over it, does it happen gradually or does it mean i should choose another career? these are the only things i get grossed out by. blood, horrible wounds, mucous, vomit, skin lesions don't bother me! is there anything someone has told you or you told yourself to get through such situations?
i'm going to be so disappointed in myself if i can't go through with it, i've worked so hard and it's my dream to help people and work in a hospital. i know eventually i'll have to do catheters and that thought upsets me too. i guess i could work at a blood bank and just draw blood but my career options would be limited if i did that.
I'm surprised that there isn't anyone else there with you. I'd be afraid of liability issues if I was the only one there with 4 adult males that all have an altered mental status. If the situation makes you feel uncomfortable, it's likely not a good situation.
With regards to providing peri-care, it gets easier. I was really apprehensive about it. Knowing that the patients were not in a position to provide the care for themselves helped. Also, when my parents get to the point where they need that kind of care, I want them to have the best care possible. I use that as my gauge. I provide the level of care that I expect my parents to receive.
***holes are like opinions, everyone's got one so just clean it up and get on with it : ) (this is what I plan to tell myself when in this situation).
I don't know if caring for geriatric gentlemen will be any easier. You will most likely have two kinds of patients, those who are embarrassed and those "dirty old men" types. Either way you want to be able to keep it routine, professional, and business like.
And just think what if it were you. One day you will need assistance too, and anyone could have an accident, encounter brain damage and become in need of similar care. Wouldn't you want a real professional caring for you? I think trying to keep these attitudes in mind, and practice will soon make these situations more comfortable. Good Luck!
Smith.C74
58 Posts
I'm surprised that there isn't anyone else there with you. I'd be afraid of liability issues if I was the only one there with 4 adult males that all have an altered mental status. If the situation makes you feel uncomfortable, it's likely not a good situation.
With regards to providing peri-care, it gets easier. I was really apprehensive about it. Knowing that the patients were not in a position to provide the care for themselves helped. Also, when my parents get to the point where they need that kind of care, I want them to have the best care possible. I use that as my gauge. I provide the level of care that I expect my parents to receive.