Living with poo

[dropbears101]

Hi everyone, I'm a nursing student that has just started out in my first job in a nursing setting as an AIN at a nursing home. So far I'm really enjoying it, but there's one big thing that's driving me up the wall - poo. My issue mainly arises from the regular staff at the home tossing the soiled pads on the floor or the dressing counters while changing them, and then putting their (albeit gloved) hands all over the bed sheets, pillows, hand rails and hand rail covers. I then end up inadvertantly touching this with my uniform and shoes, which then touches the inside of my car, and then some parts of the house when I get home.

Now, I know most people (my parents and most of my friends included) may think that this is trivial or that I'm over-doing it, but it dead set drives me up the wall to the point of where I'm bordering on obsessive-compulsive behaviour. An example of this would be using spray disinfectant on my shirt this morning where the seat belt of my car touched it.

So, does everyone else here think I'm over-doing it and if so do you have any ideas on how I should deal with it? Any input here would be greatly apreciated because appart from this I love the job.

[deann52]

You should probably avoid L&D hehe I have had every bodily fluid on me and then you just have to keep going. But yes, changing before leaving or at home is pretty common practice :)

Have you mentioned the cross contamination to your NM?

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Sometimes I will double glove for a "code brown" and slip off the top pair between cleaning away the old linens and placing the new ones.

Depending on the level of poo, I've done more than double glove. If you start with a couple pairs of small or medium, you can fit a couple pairs of large over those...

[mjmcca]

I used to wear paper isolation gowns push my thumb through so when I put the double gloves on my wrists weren't exposed. I always changed before going home including my shoes. I think I only had my undies and socks stay they same.