Is clinic nursing a dirty job?

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Hello. I was curious as to whether clinic nursing is a dirty job. I have no issues with blood, but I'm wondering if any of you clinic nurses have to deal with other unpleasant things. I still believe nurses are amazing given all the responsibilities they have. Thank you for all you advice!

What's with the anger tone?

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Until you said kids, I thought we worked in the same clinic. LOL

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Bad news sister, to get to your dream "clean" job, you'll have to fight through 4 years of dirty nursing school. No matter what your end game, you can't avoid the mess. Then you need two years experience in the icu (or something like that).. I work in the icu. There are liquids coming out of everywhere, sometimes multiple locations at the same time. Try the CNA route. If you can't handle the liquids there, don't go to nursing school. You will hate it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
What's with the anger tone?

Who are you asking?

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Lets not forget the patients who love to hit, spit, scratch and throw things.

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I'm not sure why some of us nurses tend to bully”, eat-our-young” and otherwise be sarcastic to other nurses. Vianyerie has clearly expressed a sincere question asking for advice. Why do some of us have to be cynical in our responses to her? It's no wonder that nurses can't come together and be recognized nationally and be respected like we want to. And we wonder why nurses have latched onto the ‘stethoscope' issue as a way to band together? Nurses very frequently are off-putting, snubbing or back-stabbing other nurses. I personally haven't seen this behavior in other professions such as teaching, but maybe it exists and I'm just unaware…either way, if the days at work are so bad that we are unhappy and discontented, we need to look elsewhere for work.

I've worked fulltime for 45 years in nursing, and most of my work was hard – working short staffed, cleaning out wounds, SS enemas til clear, lifting patients (without mechanical aids or sliders), full bed baths, making beds with hospital corners (anyone remember?) with sheets that didn't have elastic, and running Dopamine with a dial type drip regulator (not a smartpump)! Not to mention 12 hour shifts in ICU for 10 days straight, one day off and back again, swinging shifts, taking call on weekends and nights, etc., etc….No, I'm not a martyr and I'm not bragging, but my point is that we need to love what we do….nursing and be committed to the profession, or else we will be sour and disgruntled in our personal and professional lives. Some nurses, just like anyone else, are sensitive to intimidating comments, and sadly, some of them have taken their own life as a result of inconsiderate remarks. If we can't be decent and professional to each other, the public, and our patients – get out of the profession!

Now that I'm off my soapbox, just a reply and suggestion to you, Vianyerie – yes, there are smells, bodily discharges, contaminated fluids, blood and very sick people in clinics of all sorts. It's very hard to know what you want to do when you are at this point. There are jobs out there that are research based, coding and insurance claims, insurance physicals, nursing education and Quality Management services in hospitals and other organizations that you might be interested in. Good luck to you as you pursue your work!

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It's Monday and there it is. ^

I have NOT the mojo today.

Where's Chaos? :(

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

You forgot the WHOOP

Whoop!! There it is!!

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You forgot the WHOOP

Whoop!! There it is!!

Thank you roser, for your Monday morning mojo.

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I'm not sure why some of us nurses tend to bully”, eat-our-young” and otherwise be sarcastic to other nurses...

Are you referring to this thread?? I'm not seeing it.

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Are you referring to this thread?? I'm not seeing it.

That's because you are a cannibalistic nurse who needs someone else to point out your flaws and weaknesses. You can't see the forest for your own greedy selfish trees, dontcha know?

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That's because you are a cannibalistic nurse who needs someone else to point out your flaws and weaknesses. You can't see the forest for your own greedy selfish trees, dontcha know?

LOL. You've got my back for pointing out my flaws, but I don't think I'm guilty of posting anything on this thread until now. Bonnie made a good speech, but maybe on the wrong thread? I went back and read most of it and still don't see NETY here. Other threads for sure, but not here. What gives?

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