Is it true about the poo?

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Okay, nursing veterans...help out this newbie nursing student. I've talked with a number of nurses and NPs and, in the course of conversation, an alarming number of them have told me I will encounter more poo in my clinicals and first year of nursing than I ever imagined was biologically possible. Are they right? I fear they are.

Go ahead, warn me. Terrify me. Tell the stories you definitely can't tell at dinner parties. Make sure I know exactly what I'm dealing with. Any and all stories of grossness are welcome--if I'm gonna do this, I really, REALLY need to know.

Thanks!

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Specializes in PACU.

haha i am not a nursing veteran but i did encounter "poo" in clinicals... it happens... its not scary though... just a quick (Or sometimes not so quick) CODE BROWN!! we have had several students have to repeat bed baths because of this.. unless your scared of poo.. its not a biggie :)

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Patient who was constipated was given Go-Lytely. Turned out to be an obstructed bowel so patient spent 2 days continuously leaking around the obstruction. Patient wasn't very good about keeping clean so the stuff ended up everywhere... EVERY. WHERE.

They finally disimpacted the patient in the OR.

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Specializes in Onc/Med-Surg, ER, Nursing Supervisor.

Ugh, Go-Lytely + Big lady + Active GI bleed + measly ER curtain = Really stinky ER.

Just wait until you need to roll a 300+ pound person on a stretcher to clean them up. FUN times!!

Oh, and funniest poo story was from a LOL with pneumonia and diarrhea... we had her turned and was cleaning her up, every time she coughed, more poo shot out at me. Learn to dodge.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTAC, Critical Care.
Learn to dodge.

Yup.... and just wait until you encounter the wonderful aroma of C. diff.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, home&pub health, pvt duty.

We sent an elderly frail man who had ambulation problems for bowel studies. He came back in a bed and was packaged as nice as you could ask--the bed clothes were clean and he was tucked in so nice--you could only see his head. Then we went to transfer him. As we pulled back the covers we found he was literally swimming in brown liquid. The liquid must have been 5+ inches in depth. and it went from the shoulders down. :lol2:

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Specializes in Family medicine, cardiology, hematology.
We sent an elderly frail man who had ambulation problems for bowel studies. He came back in a bed and was packaged as nice as you could ask--the bed clothes were clean and he was tucked in so nice--you could only see his head. Then we went to transfer him. As we pulled back the covers we found he was literally swimming in brown liquid. The liquid must have been 5+ inches in depth. and it went from the shoulders down. :lol2:

OH the poor patient! :eek: I'm in PN school doing Fundamentals I. Today we hit the "pee & poo" chapters. I have to share this with them tomorrow.

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.

One time had a pt with history of C. diff, which we automatically isolate pts with history for this reason. Anyway, I kept smelling something in her room but she seemed pretty alert and oriented so I asked her if she needed to use the bedpan and she said no, she was just having some gas. I go about my business, then about 30-45 min later, I'm smelling it in the unit (I work in a CCU) by the nurse's area. So I go back in the room, pull back the blanket and she's just swimming in it. That's the only way to describe it. I had to use about 4 bath towel to soak it up before I even attempted cleaning her.

So right as my charge nurse and I get finished cleaning her, I get a critical lab result that her troponin is 287. Quite a jump from the previous. Needless to say she went to the cath lab within the hour. Thank the good lord she cleaned her bowels before her angio!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Pediatric, oncology, hospice.

You will become an expert in the many colors of poo, able to identify infection, GI bleed by smell before you even see the poo. It will not bother you at all. You will eat lunch discussing poo. You will talk about poo, while eating to non-medical people who are also eating on slow days to amuse yourself.

TIP #1 Keep a complete change of clothes in your locker. Uniform, bra, panties, socks and shoe. Poo attacks those who are unprepared.

Tip #2 Keep and eye on your badge, glasses, pens. I recently did a bed bath on a paralyzed gentleman who had a large, violent accident. It took many rolls to clean him, get dirty linens, replace with clean linens, etc. On the last roll, I looked down, and wondered why he had a pair of blue glasses in his butt crack. I looked over at the new grad who was assisting me, shushed her, retrieved my glasses, and deposited them in the trash.

Tip #3 If you wear glasses, keep an extra pair with the change of clothes.

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Go-lytely + big women who was bed bound = complete liquid poo that left her in a poo pond that leaked out of her diaper & pooled in the bed ... that or the GI bleeds. Either way, you will become really good at identifying your types of poo smells. Like the previous nurse said, have an extra set of scrubs available and yes, you will learn to talk about it over lunch without batting an eye ...

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Dear God in heaven. I thought it would be bad but this is pretty bad. Thank goodness, as you all say, you get used to it. Leecy, great advice about changes of...well, everything. And "poo ponds"? Wow. Just, wow.

Loved this!...

"You will become an expert in the many colors of poo, able to identify infection, GI bleed by smell before you even see the poo. It will not bother you at all. You will eat lunch discussing poo. You will talk about poo, while eating to non-medical people who are also eating on slow days to amuse yourself."

My poor squeamish family. I fear I'll be permanently disinvited to holiday dinners if I can't control my mouth.

Keep 'em comin' if you've got 'em!

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Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, home&pub health, pvt duty.
Dear God in heaven. [...]

Keep 'em comin' if you've got 'em!

Changing the diaper of an Alzheimer's patient can be challenging. I always wondered why gloves are not longer or why glove companies don't make 'special' gloves for such challenging situations. Anyone have to 'reach in' to clean and find you and your gown is contaminated? Ah, the joys of being a nurse. If you can't laugh at the situation, it will be a difficult profession. :lol2:

Best to all and stay well/safe :redbeathe

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