How often do RNs clean up poop? (thinking about majoring in nursing)

[gwchem]

I am thinking about majoring in nursing, and I was wondering how often RNs clean poop, vomit, etc. I could handle cleaning up stuff like that every once in a while, but I can't imagine cleaning people's poop for the rest of my working life.. >_

I remember one of my friends who had a mother working as a nurse said all she did was clean poop everyday

Please respond quickly, thanks!

[07302003, ASN, RN]

I clean poop daily or more (med surg nurse). I actually volunteer to help out the NA sometimes, because it gives me a chance to do a good skin assessment and make sure that we are doing all we can to prevent further breakdown. Usually anyone poopy has skin issues going on down there.

[Pepperlady]

Just about every day I deal with poop or vomit or blood or ....... I guess my one weakness is sputum, I have a really really hard time with gobs of sputum (specially when I accidentally find them with a bare hand.)

[WindyhillBSN]

Think if it was you, and both your legs were broke and the bed pan slipped, or if it was a parent or grandparent that had a stroke, and couldn't clean it themselves, it'll help you to get in there and get out.

[Lovely_RN, MSN]

I work in LTC as an LPN and I don't clean up any poop because the CNAs do the tolieting and brief changes.

Now before anyone jumps on me it's not because I think i'm too good...rather I have 40 residents to do meds and txs for and I have no time to do routine changes and toileting.

However, I have and do clean up vomit...suction sputum...collect stool samples...been spit on (accidentally)...and deal with a lot of stuff that might be considered gross. Is dressing a stage IV ulcer the depth of my fist any less gross then wiping up poop?

Why is poop considered the worst of the worse?

Poop is not the grossest thing you will encounter in nursing.

[loriangel14, RN]

Where i work EVERYONE cleans up poop, from the nurse with her masters to the PNs.You wouldn't last there one day if you even suggested it "wasn't part of your job". If you are going to be a nurse you cannot think you are "too educated to wipe"

[pink2blue1]

We clean up poop whenever it is needed. Sometimes patients can't help themselves. I would say at least each shift I work I am cleaning up something from someone. Vomit, poop, pee, whatever the case. People aren't always continent and don't always hit the emesis basin and they sometimes even lose control of their bladders/bowels and sometimes it just happens so fast. So as a Nurse, you will clean up poop and vomit. It's a fact of the job!

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I'd say I see a code brown at least once a week in the OR..either fresh ones, or worse, ones that are "caked on" because someone else never bothered to clean them off.

Funny though. I can deal with blood, limbs hanging off, smashed body parts and even the occasional code brown. What gets me everytime is snot and saliva..blechhh!

[SaraO'Hara]

Every day. I have twelve patients and one aide; if the aide is busy, I toilet. Think of it as what may be your one opportunity that shift to assess the patient's skin.

[JBudd, MSN]

Not to mention there is a lot you can learn about a patient's status by their stool. Even if it is "no change in status".

But why is it that that is the only thing you have to ask about nursing as a career? What about the sciences it takes, the observational and assessment skills, the people skills, the organizational and leadership and team work and management and continuing education, the huge body of knowledge to be learned? The knowing when to intervene and when to let alone, and how to save a life?

[RN4NICU, LPN, LVN]

Other than the occasional "accident" (aka Code Brown), in OR nursing you certainly wouldn't expect poop cleaning to be a daily event. Sometimes you can get on a roll for a couple of weeks or more!

I'd say I see a code brown at least once a week in the OR..either fresh ones, or worse, ones that are "caked on" because someone else never bothered to clean them off.

Funny though. I can deal with blood, limbs hanging off, smashed body parts and even the occasional code brown. What gets me everytime is snot and saliva..blechhh!

Weekly? Really?? I worked in OR for 2+ years and NEVER saw poop.

[Lovely_RN, MSN]

Not to mention there is a lot you can learn about a patient's status by their stool. Even if it is "no change in status".

But why is it that that is the only thing you have to ask about nursing as a career? What about the sciences it takes, the observational and assessment skills, the people skills, the organizational and leadership and team work and management and continuing education, the huge body of knowledge to be learned? The knowing when to intervene and when to let alone, and how to save a life?

[cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP]

I'm a CNA but having worked in a few different setting I can say that most nurses that I have worked with help clean up poop on a regular basis. Does that mean your going to spend your entire day cleaning up poop? No but its just a part of the job that you have to do and you end up getting use to after a while. I think a lot of it depends on what specialty your in but if its not one body fluid its another (feces, vomit, sputum, mucus, urine, blood etc.) Personally, cleaning up poop doesn't bother me that much but cleaning up vomit is my weakness, I just can't stand the smell of it. But as cliche as it sounds, its all about the patient and by being there to help clean up those things is part of making our patients comfortable. If you haven't had experience as a CNA or working in the health care field around nurses you may want to shadow a nurse at your local hospital to make sure it is the right field for you before you start nursing school. Good luck!

!Chris