Long story short, had 2nd clinical ever today and was assigned to a very edematous bed-bound pt with right-sided CHF. She had really bad skin breakdown and, as we were turning her to change the sheets, I felt like a lot of "debris" from the sheets went up into to the air. I could actually see it in the air. I wanted to slap the nurse b/c she wasn't being careful with them. Anyway, I feel like I definitely inhaled whatever "particles" these were and now I can't get the taste of "poop", for lack of a better word, out of my mouth.
Does skin break-down have a certain smell that mirrors feces? She had been using the bed-pan for her bowel movements, but I'm not sure if she had feces in between her skin folds or in the old sheets, b/c I wasn't on that side of her when turning her.
It is really rather unpleasant. I've tried brushing my teeth and mouth-washing and it has still come back on and off over the past few hours. UGH.
Am I crazy? What did I inhale? Should I be worried?
...dust of skin flakes flying around, trying to cut the old cast, and I probably swallowed some and horrible stink of cat pee and other stuff after opening that cast...
Now I just want to know how the cat managed to pee on her cast (in her cast??)
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
So just because I'm brand new, I'm not allowed to call out an experienced nurse for a legitimate reason? Maybe me saying "I wanted to slap the nurse" was a poor choice of wording, I was just annoyed b/c I got a huge debris cloud right in my face.
And I obviously don't think she did it on purpose, I'm sure she just wasn't thinking of it at the time for perhaps any number of reasons. I understand that people make mistakes and I know I'm not above making them, either.
However, just because I don't have any experience doesn't preclude me from being allowed to be annoyed. If I were a nurse with 20 yrs experience, everyone on here would probably say "omg, I know I hate when people do that", instead of smacking me down b/c of lack of experience.
I'm usually a very patient and understanding person. Note I did not *actually* slap her, nor did I say anything to her, as I understand it was not on purpose. She actually was really helpful to me throughout the day and let me do several things we had just learned in lab. This was not an attack on her, I was just venting my frustration, as any normal person would.
And to address another poster who had mentioned the code situation and not being able to help "slinging" things at each other, my situation was completely different. Things were pretty calm on the floor at the time and the nurse was not rushing around or showing any outward signs of being stressed out. I understand she still may have been stressed and was just doing a good job of keeping her composure, but still, she definitely did not need to be flinging around those sheets like that.
AGAIN, I understand no one is perfect and it may have been a one-time thing. I was just VENTING, people!
Ok so let me suggest something that may help prevent this type of reaction in the future. I totally get needing to vent and have frequently done so here. I have been a member here quite sometime and am well known for my brand of sarcasm and wit. You don't stay sane as a long time psych nurse without effective venting from time to time.
So if venting is what you are trying to do start with VENT, VENTING, Or JUST NEED TO VENT etc.
Then begin your story which might have gone something like this. I am a student nurse on my 2nd day of clinical and something happened that made me want to vomit today!
Your first post made it seem as though you were putting down and insulting the care the nurse you were with. With quoted remarks like "I learned this is the only acceptable way to do this." When confronted you backed down and explained that the nurse was really very helpful and accommodating and over-all and you had a great experience with the exception of this one incident which was not the tone of your first post.
Had you said these things then went into ......."Something happened that really grossed me out........and now I can't get this taste out of my mouth! What should I do? You could describe the procedure and then say "I am a bit confused because that's not the way I learned to do that in school" Etc..... Are you getting my point - it's not what you say but how you say it.
You do seem sincere but to be fair to the people who replied to you we do get a fairly large number of first time posters who seem determined to anger the regulars then sit back and watch the fire works. We Crusty Old bats are a sensitive lot and while we may talk about realities of nursing to the un-informed or the new - Most of us have rarely or ever been accused of giving sub-standard care. Some cases just require you to work around methods you were taught in school as best case scenarios.
I train a lot of new grads in the psych facility and I tell them all to ask me questions if something I do is different from what they learned - I also try to determine just how teachable a preceptee is.
You must not work exclusively with elders. Wisdom and good nature in LTC residents is pretty rare! More like confusion and agitation being rained upon us by the elder dust. It must be contagious, that would explain a lot.
ps I am SO stealing elder dust. Perfect description!
It's something known as sarcasm
I worked for several years as a CNA, and one of my primary jobs was removing TEDS and socks before bed and being rained upon with "elder dust." This fully explains the level of wisdom and good-nature that I currently have.
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
One thing I learned after a year of working as a CMA, is that the way you were taught were the just the basics. After you leave school, you will have to adapt a new way fast. EKGs? I had to do it a WHOLE new way at the cardiologist office I was in my first year, then I went to a new office, and their way WAS WAY different. It's okay, I know that it's hard to move past "Well my teacher taught me this way..." but you can't keep thinking that, because then you will never improve any of your skills.
I know the feeling after being new, but try to take people advice to a grain of salt. If you think it's useful, take it, if not, then just say thank you and be done with it.
Wow, seriously you guys with all the hate? I was asking a serious question and NO IT'S NOT A DENTAL ISSUE. I floss every night and have perfect teeth and gums and have never had a cavity.
And YES, I wanted to slap the nurse, b/c we were taught that you are supposed to roll up the dirty bedding gently and so that the dirty side is on the inside, while having the dirty linens bin nearby, not just fling it all over the place and eventually onto the floor, causing debris to go everywhere.
The residual "taste" has mostly gone away, and I have several nurse friends who have confirmed that they have had this happen as well.
So, yeah, you can all get off your high horse. Jeez...
I see no high horses. If you can't tell the difference between arrogance and humor, you will have a tough time in nursing.
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
I'm curious how different the methods were? Was it device specific? Was it just getting different types of readings? The basic technical aspects are surely the same?
I'm sorry if I didn't mention in my last post, but I mean the lead placements.
The one method I learned from my text book. The basic one you see on there, leads on arms and legs and such, and using an machine that prints it out on wax paper.
Then when I was in cardiology, it was on computer, so the wires were connected on the laptops and desktops with usb ports. We would not connect on legs or arms, but more on the clavicles and on the side of belly button, near hip area.
The other office, the last one I was in, was more of the same thing but they wanted me to position the wires on legs then clavicle. I don't think it was device specific more of what the office preferred over the other. I would think that each would get almost the same readings, but the most accurate ones I got were at the cardiology. But the basic technical aspects were the same, but it was that each office had their own different way of connecting wires and they would want me to do the same, so I had to adapt to their way or the high way.
Your experience sounds horrible but common however, to have the taste of poop in your mouth is alarming. Poop taste or breath is indicative of a renal issue (Elevated BUN) wait until you encounter a GI bleed patient a smell like cancer that uou will never forget. In a case like this with flying debri wear a mask
Specializes in Crit Care; EOL; Pain/Symptom; Gero.
You also have the smell of gangrene to look forward to - when you're taking down foot dressings, and a couple toes auto-amputate into the dressing.
Now there's an odor that stays with you for days.
Agree with prior recommendation for carrying a Vicks inhaler in your pocket, or keep a small jar of Vicks VapoRub in your locker, particularly if you work in an ED. A little film of Vicks under your nose helps immensely. Camphor.
Julius Seizure
1 Article; 2,282 Posts
Now I just want to know how the cat managed to pee on her cast (in her cast??)