Is this the career of an RN?!

Nursing Students General Students

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TO start off, I KNOW nursing isn't glamorous and pretty.... you will have to deal with vomit, and poop, etc.

Yesterday I had my first clinical... and of course I get put on a floor where no one ideally wants to be - the GI floor (aka, the poop floor). I knew that NS and being an RN wasn't a glamorous or pretty job.... yes, you will have to deal with bodily functions and "accidents", etc... but I'm totally daunted! I didn't even go to clinical today (which is/would have been my second time for clinicals) because we were told yesterday that we'd be by ourselves with our own patients.

I'm totally freaked out and I don't know if I can actually do this as a student. I know you can't tell me if I can do it or not, but I was wondering if you ever felt the same way? Ever? Or anything close?

Our patient yesterday was so nice, but my god when our teacher had to get a "sample" from her adult diaper, and used a spoon, and her bowels were covering her front to back... I don't know how I didn't throw up! Yesterday just makes me want to not do this.

My teacher told me that RN's (nurses in general I guess) don't have someone (help) to clean up a patient's "backside" or stuff like that...THEY do it. I don't believe CNA's or nurses's aid's, etc. are "below nurses" or anything like that at all! It's just, I thought it would be more about giving shots, checking vitals, relieving pain, not mostly about POOP.

I know everyone's human, and poop happens. It's 100% different when it's not your own family you're cleaning after. I didn't think I would feel this way but I do. I never thought poop would be so discouraging.

Do RN's mostly just clean up poop?!

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RN's do what needs to be done. The nurse collected a sample for a necessary test and then helped a patient feel better by cleaning them up.

While I understand the nervousness of having your own patient, I do not understand why you didn't go to clinical. I would've been kicked out of my program for that. If you don't like an assignment after you get a job are you going to call in sick? That's very poor work ethic.

I don't think RNs just deal with poop all day long but we need to deal with it and if it's enough to keep you away from clinicals, I think you need to re-think your career choice.

Good luck.

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I think it depends on the hospital and the floor. In the hospitals where I've had clinical, nurses do what needs to be done but often the CNAs are the ones doing the bed-baths, toileting, etc. As students we did all that for the patient, the CNA didn't do it for us. You have to be in a mindset of "I do whatever I need to do for the patient," not "nurse does this job, CNA does that". And as someone mentioned above, skipping clinical like that would have resulted in the boot from my school as well. You're lucky if your school gives you a second chance.

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Just because you will be on your own with a patient, doesn't mean you can't ask for help from your classmates or instructor. And you just got yourself an unexcused absence. I don't know your school's policy on how many clinical days you can miss, but this wasn't the best thing to do. Dealing with precious bodily fluids is part of the job, but it's not all of it.

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I just finished my first semester of nursing school and I just wanted to let you know that I had the same feeling you did on numerous occasions. It wasn't about poop or anything like that but I was extremely nervous to be on my own. I can't tell you how many times I thought to myself "Oh man, what have I gotten myself into!? I'm not sure I can do this." but then I reminded myself why I chose to pursue nursing in the first place. I love helping people, making people feel good and I find the human body completely fascinating. Your mind set is going to have a lot to do with it. If you keep in mind why you're doing it, how you will be helping others to feel well and get better, I think it may help.

Also, keep in mind when you're having to take a sample of the patient's bowel movement how you would feel in their place. Do your best to focus on that and how you can make them feel most comfortable.

I really feel for you because I truly understand how scary it can be but just hang in there. I wish you the best of luck.

Edit: I realized I didn't really address your question on whether RNs have to clean up poop. I'll say that I rarely saw anyone other that nursing students and CNAs cleaning up bodily fluids in my clinicals but as my instructor told us, that is not how it's suppose to be. You do not call a CNA to do something simply because you find it gross. The only reason you should call for a CNA for any job is if you're extremely busy and have to tend to other vital things. (Any nurses can correct me if I am wrong on this.)

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Specializes in PICU/Pedi.

I sympathize with you. Every morning that I go to clinicals I dread going because I know that poop or bathing naked adults will be involved. I don't know why that particular stuff bothers me, except that those are things that most people don't experience, so we're not used to seeing that kind of thing. That being said, every single time I leave clinicals, I am in a great mood and feel okay with whatever I have had to do, because I know that I helped a patient, even if just in a small way. If you realize how much you are helping a person by cleaning their poop so that they don't have to lie in it, maybe that will help you get through.

My clinicals have all dealt with adults so far (I take Peds this fall), but I am in the middle of a nursing externship and I can tell you that dealing with poop from smaller people is a little easier to deal with, especially because I have young children, so I am used to that. You may find it easier to work with young people for that reason.

I vow to NEVER be one of those nurses who just expects the CNA to do the dirty work...

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You need to get your act together and FAST! GROW UP!!

I can't believe you missed only your 2nd day of clinicals?! There are people you would do anything to be accepted into nursing school right now. I have a friend who didn't make it into this coming semester with me and she is devastated!

You really need to pull yourself together and be willing to do whatever it takes. I work as a tech right now and I have learned so much, and that included how to wipe an a** perfectly. It is not the patient's fault and I am there to be respectful and maintain their dignity at ALL times.

Get it together girlfriend and quick!

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First off, nursing school is HARD. I remember being in clinicals and on the verge of tears a lot of days. It was a very scary challenging experience for me.

You get over the "poop" part after a while. It is gross, but you become more tolerable after a while. And no, your CNA is not always going to clean it up for you. And really, Poop is the LEAST of your problems. There are a lot more things that go on in the hospitals with your patients that are much more serious and stressful to deal with. Nursing involves A LOT more than passing meds, reviewing vitals, and relieving pain.

I guess my question to you is.....Are you sure this is what you want to do as a career? Nursing is not for everyone. I would list the reasons that you are going in to nursing and make sure that they are the right reasons. Keep your head up.

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Specializes in Home Care.

If you think cleaning up poop is bad, wait til you have to clean it out of 2 large stage IV infected ischial wounds.

I'd rather my patient poop and make a big mess all by his/herself than stick my finger up their rectum to dig it out.

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I agree with hopeful3, grow up! Yes people get sick and they can't hold their poop in or clean up after themselves...that's what NURSES ARE FOR!!!!!! Did you think you were going to get to nursing school and get your degree then all you have to do is sit around and think? You should have gone to medical school. By the way, you may have projectile vomit, semen, spit, urine, blood, etc. sprayed on you from time to time (refer to the nurses forum under jokes and funny stories) it comes with the territory. Yes it's gross but...that's what you signed up for. Now you're skipping clinicals to avoid poop. (which I too would be kicked out for doing for SURE) I think you need to change majors.

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Specializes in ED.

I know everyone's human, and poop happens. It's 100% different when it's not your own family you're cleaning after. I didn't think I would feel this way but I do. I never thought poop would be so discouraging.

Do RN's mostly just clean up poop?!

It may not be your family but it IS someone's family. You are going to have to treat your patients as if they are your family members (the ones you like anyway). And yes, poop is part of the job just like any other bodily fluid. The first time is always the toughest but you have to get past it to do your job.

I agree with the above posters about missing your clinical. There are 100 other students that would gladly trade places with you. If this is normal behavior for you to skip things that scare you or make you nervous, you need to take a long hard look at your work ethic and decide if this is the right career path for you. You need to keep in mind that often these clinical areas are often potential employers. If all you show them is a weak work ethic and no respect for your patients you definitely won't get a job on that unit.

It is either time to put your big girl panties on and rise to the occasion or get out while you can.

m

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Specializes in NICU.

I clean up a ton of it. You get pretty used to it after a while. If I'm lucky, a PCA has one of my patients when I'm in a level 2 assignment, but I'm usually doing diaper changes on them too. Yeah, they're babies, but it can be pretty gross at times when you're not used to it. It doesn't phase me too much anymore after I had about three months of getting nothing but babies with ostomies.

The skipping clinicals move wasn't the best idea - you generally only get a small amount of absences for each clinical rotation. Wasting them is never a good move - you never know what will happen in the future that may cause you to miss clinicals. It's okay to be scared about being with a patient without the instructor behind you the entire time, but you need to conquer your fear and take care of that patient.

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