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.
Okay, sorry if you're "fed up" with posts like this but that's not my problem, nor the point of this thread.
It's not that I "don't like cleaning up poop" - I'm mean, really... who would CHOOSE to do that? "Oh yeah! I'd LOVE to do that, let me jump right on that!". Seriously? That's not what I think/thought/said.
I don't blame ANYONE for choosing that nursing isn't right for me... I WAS TOLD that YES RN's will do whatever needs to be done, period. No matter what that may be, RN's do what is needed.
Also, it wasn't so much the POOP that has made me reconsider - it was how it feels to be ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOSPITAL BED!
Before NS, I thought, "I have what it takes to be a nursing student and a nurse, no doubt". I still to this day am trying to work thorough things in my head about if nursing really is the right fit for me (or if I am the right fit for nursing). I can see myself doing what needs to be done, no matter what it is.
My first day SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. As soon as I put on my uniform it's like I panicked and I wasn't even the same person anymore. I felt unprepared (like MOST students) and didn't know if I could do it.
The day I skipped was the day I would have been ALONE with no help but my instructor if she happened to check in on me... I felt unprepared and didn't want to have a patient be practically naked with me taking 2-3 hours to give them a bath and on top of that be having to do other skills I wasn't too prepared to do (mainly, checking breath sounds, I can do vitals, no problem).
Anyway, I'm not going into anymore detail. There's much more to the story than all this, and it simply can't all be put down here. I'm not here to defend myself against what "you're sick of hearing" on this site. I'm more than thankful for this site and the HELPFUL comments. Your comment was helpful but the last part was really unnecessary to this thread.
Bottom line: I felt unprepared and scared to death... I had been rethinking my nursing career decision way before my first clinical (and the second, which I didn't go to).
End of story. Thanks guys for those of you that helped!
I completly agree, I sometimes think pepole just put these post's on here to "get our goat". I have a hard time beliving that people REALLY, REALLY think this way. At least I hope they are just saying these things because it is REALLY disturbing to hear people talk this way. I also agree that people have zero accountability...:banghead:
I don't put stuff on here to mess with people... I wasn't able to volunteer before NS and I had NO CLUE what I was walking into as far as school went. If I could see how being and actual RN is compared to NS then I probably would have never posted this.
I wasn't trying to "push people's buttons" or demean anyone or anything... I was simply looking for some insight because, again, I had NO CLUE and still don't have a good enough idea of what nursing really is like after NS.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Guy, the OP came for support not to be attacked. There have been many times through out my career I have thought do I really want to do this and for some people the opportunity to do some healthcare work just isn't available so it isn't until they actually start the course do doubts etc come in.
There will always be something that you hate, for me it is sputum, but I put it aside when having to deal with it because my main priority is the patient and their comfort
I see your point, HOWEVER... I think the most disbelief with this post comes from the fact that she actually skipped clinical. I think most of us students cannot imagine skipping a clinical day, unless our arm was seriously stuck in a meat grinder or ripped off... even then we still may make an attempt.. all kidding aside, I personally think it just shows a poor work ethic and zero accountability....
OP, did you go back to school or did you take the semester off? I know at my school you can take a leave of absence without withdrawing from the program. Maybe you could do that until you decide what you want to do. I hope it works out for you and I'm wishing you the best in whatever you decide. :)
Put on your big girl pants and get through nursing school...I deal with poop and vomit; but most of the poop is from babies so it is not so bad. If you go into an area that you love you will look past the stinky stuff. I dreaded going to clinical when I was on my med/surg rotations, but I went anyways because I knew I would eventually go into labor and delivery. There some areas that you do not have to deal with poop and stinky stuff at all such as Public Health Nursing. Get some menthol to rub under your nose, show up to clinical every time, and don't be afraid to ask for help (and be willing to help when some one else asks for it too); nurses know you are in a learning environment, they will not completely leave you on your own, besides it can be their ass if something goes wrong and they were totally ignoring their patient (it is the nurses patient, the student nurse is there to learn, the nurse still has the responsibility of the patient's well being)
Yea as Hearts said you won't be left to do anything serious alone. You do what you are supposed to do and if you aren't sure ask your nurse or instructor. Thats what they are there for. As long as you're not doing anything that can hurt the pt you're and anything invasive you would have the instructor there with you.
I haven't read all the replies but wanted to offer my 2 cents...
Yes it's probably not great that you skipped clinicals. I understand you were afraid and unsure and have all these questions...but how are you going to find out the answers if you don't try?
Also, while bedside nursing will involve lots of poo, there are plenty of career paths as a nurse that won't involve poo (at least not on a daily basis). Whether it's public health, administration/management, school nursing (there will be poo of course but not in the traditional bed-ridden patient sense), corporate wellness programs, health education, etc. etc. Explore these career paths to find out what you think you'd like to do, and know that you will still have to deal with the poo in order to get there. You probably need to have the clinical experience for most every nursing job, but just know there is something to work toward away from the bedside if that's what you want.
That said, while bedside nursing involves cleaning up poo, please know that it also involves so much more. And you may find a specialty that you really enjoy.
Getting over your fear of poop is definitely do-able. You just have to adjust your attitude. Of all the difficult things in nursing and nursing school, this could even be one of the easier things you accomplish!
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
It's true, dealing with body fluids isn't always pleasant. Some stuff I know I'll never get used to, but it helps to look at the patient as a whole and think clinically about the poop, sputum and vomit that you have to look at anyway. These things are very important indicators that, even if you aren't doing the cleaning, fit into the whole picture not to be shunned. Best wishes!
Okay, sorry if you're "fed up" with posts like this but that's not my problem, nor the point of this thread.
My first day SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. As soon as I put on my uniform it's like I panicked and I wasn't even the same person anymore. I felt unprepared (like MOST students) and didn't know if I could do it.
Welcome to nursing school. Myself and pretty much 100% of my classmates have been scared to death at one time or another. Me, them, us, and you still have a responsibility to deal with it in an acceptable manner.
As many have stated before me: "It's time to put your big girl underwear on."
@ Heartswideopen just wondering why you didnt like the med/surgical rotations. I am starting ns in august so i have no exp in any clinicals lol. what kind of things did u do there. im actually interested in that clinical. Before Ns I sat in on a couple of C-sections which got me really interested in the OR.
Oh and i dont think anyone likes to clean up poop, i cant say im looking forward to that part lol, But its your responsibility to take care of that person. they depend on you. Its all about the patient. im sure after a while cleaning up poop is no big deal. I know things will bother me sometimes but its mind over matter just deal with it..
I'm having trouble understanding what the OP means by on her own with the patient. I mean the instructor doesn't hover over you every second with a patient. The instructor has 7 or 8 other students to help. I'm not sure what she means. As for the poop, yes it's difficult. I had twins, but baby poop is not the same as adult poop!!! Colostomy changes are even worse:eek:
I know you were scared to be on your own with the patient, but you just got to bite the bullet and do it, not run away. I was scared stiff my first time I had to give a bed bath, but the CNA there said don't be afraid and got the water basin for me and then I just did it and then I was fine. Just push through the fear. Fake it till you make it. I hope you can find the strength to feel the fear and do it anyway. If you can't then maybe nursing may not be for you.
:banghead:
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DGDreamGirl
26 Posts
Okay, sorry if you're "fed up" with posts like this but that's not my problem, nor the point of this thread.
It's not that I "don't like cleaning up poop" - I'm mean, really... who would CHOOSE to do that? "Oh yeah! I'd LOVE to do that, let me jump right on that!". Seriously? That's not what I think/thought/said.
I don't blame ANYONE for choosing that nursing isn't right for me... I WAS TOLD that YES RN's will do whatever needs to be done, period. No matter what that may be, RN's do what is needed.
Also, it wasn't so much the POOP that has made me reconsider - it was how it feels to be ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOSPITAL BED!
Before NS, I thought, "I have what it takes to be a nursing student and a nurse, no doubt". I still to this day am trying to work thorough things in my head about if nursing really is the right fit for me (or if I am the right fit for nursing). I can see myself doing what needs to be done, no matter what it is.
My first day SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. As soon as I put on my uniform it's like I panicked and I wasn't even the same person anymore. I felt unprepared (like MOST students) and didn't know if I could do it.
The day I skipped was the day I would have been ALONE with no help but my instructor if she happened to check in on me... I felt unprepared and didn't want to have a patient be practically naked with me taking 2-3 hours to give them a bath and on top of that be having to do other skills I wasn't too prepared to do (mainly, checking breath sounds, I can do vitals, no problem).
Anyway, I'm not going into anymore detail. There's much more to the story than all this, and it simply can't all be put down here. I'm not here to defend myself against what "you're sick of hearing" on this site. I'm more than thankful for this site and the HELPFUL comments. Your comment was helpful but the last part was really unnecessary to this thread.
Bottom line: I felt unprepared and scared to death... I had been rethinking my nursing career decision way before my first clinical (and the second, which I didn't go to).
End of story. Thanks guys for those of you that helped!