New to site and new to nursing......

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jun 7, 2005

Hello :)
I am currently trying to determine if nursing is for me. I started out five years ago chipping away at my core studies for either a BA or BS. As time has progressed I have narrowed my choices down to communications or nursing. I want to be in field that has contact with people, helps them, and makes a difference in their life. There are some aspects of nursing that are very appealing to me, however in all honesty, their are some aspects that I'm not too crazy about - namely bathing and bedpans. Not that I could not see myself doing it, however it is not something I would want to be doing on a regular basis everyday. I've probably changed more diapers than any man west of the Mason-Dixon line (6 kids :) ), yet I can't say it's something I looked forward to doing. Does this mean I am not fit for nursing? If I could not survive nursing home service does that mean I don't pass the acid test of being a nurse? Perhaps, these are stupid questions, but they seem very practical to me and if there is any validity to them it would help me in my decision making. I know most people see the glamorous side of careers (thanks to Hollywood) and are sadly disappointed when they realize "this is not at all what I thought it was", so I seek to focus on the real practical duties and responsibilities of a position when considering my pursuit of it.
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Poop happens, as do all the other bodily fluids. I haven't, but I know people who've had to clean semen up from the floor. I know 30-yr nurses who still gag, occassionally, but it's amazing what you can get used to.

While you're doing your reality check (and I heartily endorse being honest with yourself) how's your back? As learned professions go, this one entails a lot of heavy lifting. Lift with your brain as much as you can, but it's still fairly physical.

How's your emotional strength? You're almost certain to see someone special to you die. (Of course, that's ultimately true for all of us, but it can be a fairly regular occurence, in nursing.) Can you handle that? Arguably, an equally valid question is, can you go ahead and caring, knowing in advance it's going to hurt? (Opinions vary as to how personally involved you should get. I tend to take it pretty personally, to a point, but there's a part of me that stays detached. These people aren't strangers, but they aren't family, either.) Also, you are almost certain to be abused. Can you stand up for yourself without striking back?

If you can volunteer, or work part-time in a hospital, you can find a lot of answers to these questions. But I've been in healthcare seven years, and still have moderate anxiety about starting as a graduate nurse next week. I haven't really been in the position where decisions I make are a matter of life and death.

Baths and bedpans are going to be the easy part.

cdm369 · Jun 7, 2005

Poop happens, as do all the other bodily fluids. I haven't, but I know people who've had to clean semen up from the floor. I know 30-yr nurses who still gag, occassionally, but it's amazing what you can get used to.
While you're doing your reality check (and I heartily endorse being honest with yourself) how's your back? As learned professions go, this one entails a lot of heavy lifting. Lift with your brain as much as you can, but it's still fairly physical.
How's your emotional strength? You're almost certain to see someone special to you die. (Of course, that's ultimately true for all of us, but it can be a fairly regular occurence, in nursing.) Can you handle that? Arguably, an equally valid question is, can you go ahead and caring, knowing in advance it's going to hurt? (Opinions vary as to how personally involved you should get. I tend to take it pretty personally, to a point, but there's a part of me that stays detached. These people aren't strangers, but they aren't family, either.) Also, you are almost certain to be abused. Can you stand up for yourself without striking back?
If you can volunteer, or work part-time in a hospital, you can find a lot of answers to these questions. But I've been in healthcare seven years, and still have moderate anxiety about starting as a graduate nurse next week. I haven't really been in the position where decisions I make are a matter of life and death.
Baths and bedpans are going to be the easy part.

Thank you Mike. Just what I was looking for :)

As far as physical condition, I'm in pretty good shape. I try to workout on a regular basis. Lifting will not be an issue - I lift weight for fun. I believe the emotional aspect will be my most difficult. I'm not really sure how I would/will handle that? I know this may sound strange or even morbid to some, but I actually like the idea of being close to death, because it underscores the preciousness and uncertainty of life, and (I know this is rather selfish) but it serves to humble me and make me more sober minded about life in general. Obviously, that is not what we want to see [death], but as you mentioned it is a certain reality, especially in the realm of nursing. At the same time, working for, pulling for, and praying for someone you serve - only to see them pass away has got to be a most difficult thing to handle. If it was not, I would most certainly have to question if I have the right heart for such a profession. There is nothing worse than having a professional who serves you, do so half-hearted. I NEVER want to be that.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jun 8, 2005

Thank you Mike. Just what I was looking for :)
As far as physical condition, I'm in pretty good shape. I try to workout on a regular basis. Lifting will not be an issue - I lift weight for fun. I believe the emotional aspect will be my most difficult. I'm not really sure how I would/will handle that? I know this may sound strange or even morbid to some, but I actually like the idea of being close to death, because it underscores the preciousness and uncertainty of life, and (I know this is rather selfish) but it serves to humble me and make me more sober minded about life in general. Obviously, that is not what we want to see [death], but as you mentioned it is a certain reality, especially in the realm of nursing. At the same time, working for, pulling for, and praying for someone you serve - only to see them pass away has got to be a most difficult thing to handle. If it was not, I would most certainly have to question if I have the right heart for such a profession. There is nothing worse than having a professional who serves you, do so half-hearted. I NEVER want to be that.

It sounds like you have a pretty good perspective on this. I don't find your thinking morbid at all (maybe we're both sick?). There's a kind of reverence that attends end-of-life situations, and a good death is almost as uplifting as a bad one is depressing.

I've actually had more experience with this in my present, unlicensed job than I did in clinicals. You don't need a license to listen, after all. Still, I've been amazed more than once at what I can deal with. Of course, I'm 48. Nothing to give you a perspective on mortality than starting to come to terms with your own.

Anyway, there are hospice nurses who wouldn't work anywhere else, and they don't seem ghoulish at all.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

evans_c1 · Jun 13, 2005

Mike is right. Good perspective. I promote nursing 110%! As for the crap...all God's children do it, but some do it on themselves. I still have problems at work with these little old ladies from NH's who won't let a "boy" touch them. And yes I have been called a fag to my face before by an old hag in the home..its not pleasant but the pay is! It is an awesome career choice with so many oppurtunities too! Any more concerns? just throw 'em my way!

2bnurseguy_2005 · Jun 17, 2005

Poop happens, as do all the other bodily fluids. I haven't, but I know people who've had to clean semen up from the floor. I know 30-yr nurses who still gag, occassionally, but it's amazing what you can get used to.
While you're doing your reality check (and I heartily endorse being honest with yourself) how's your back? As learned professions go, this one entails a lot of heavy lifting. Lift with your brain as much as you can, but it's still fairly physical.
How's your emotional strength? You're almost certain to see someone special to you die. (Of course, that's ultimately true for all of us, but it can be a fairly regular occurence, in nursing.) Can you handle that? Arguably, an equally valid question is, can you go ahead and caring, knowing in advance it's going to hurt? (Opinions vary as to how personally involved you should get. I tend to take it pretty personally, to a point, but there's a part of me that stays detached. These people aren't strangers, but they aren't family, either.) Also, you are almost certain to be abused. Can you stand up for yourself without striking back?
If you can volunteer, or work part-time in a hospital, you can find a lot of answers to these questions. But I've been in healthcare seven years, and still have moderate anxiety about starting as a graduate nurse next week. I haven't really been in the position where decisions I make are a matter of life and death.
Baths and bedpans are going to be the easy part.

How often do you have to clean up bodily fluids etc from patients? i guess that is a downside of nursing...im hoping to get into a nursing program in january or no later than next summer

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jun 18, 2005

How often do you have to clean up bodily fluids etc from patients? i guess that is a downside of nursing...im hoping to get into a nursing program in january or no later than next summer

Bearing in mind that I have yet to have a patient assignment other than in clinicals, I think it depends somewhat on where you work. My unit is neuro/neurosurg (before and after nursing school), and a lot of our patients have limited mobility and/or incontinence. Some other units may have a higher percentage of "walkie talkies" who can attend to their own needs, but pretty much anyone in acute care or LTC is going to get some dirty work. I say "pretty much" because there are aides who tell of nurses who are only too happy to leave the nasty stuff to the aides. That isn't the sort of nurse I want to be, and I really haven't seen much of that, but neither should a nurse get so bogged down in baths and bedpans that meds don't get passed on time or other interventions go undone. (The obvious answer is teamwork, but definitions of teamwork can vary...)

Of course, even if one were so inclined, not all of the gross stuff can be delegated. There are dressing changes out there that make c-diff stool look tasty. My personal favorite is suctioning, which sounds worse than it looks. I can get queasy hearing someone getting suction without even being in the room. But I managed to do it in clinicals without throwing up, and I'm hoping it will get easier.

"Tasty" may have been a bit of an exaggeration.

Good luck with school.