Nursing without the "yukkies".

Nurses General Nursing

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I am still a student in nursing and probably will slide over to become a Physicians Assistant eventually. What fears me most is dealing with bodily fluids. Is ALL nursing involved in puke, crap, piss and anything else I forgot to mention? What area is less lieky to deal with grossness and which area in the hospital is more prone to grossness. I've been nicknamed Mr. Clean all my life cause I am a 'clean freak'. Can't stand germs. Please direct me to where I need to go.

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

YOu deal with medical, you deal with people..you deal with it ALL! ranging from bodily fluids to the human condition and emotions..and frankly..most days I would actually prefer handling poop then getting it emotionally throw at me (well physically too! LOL!).

If you can't stand germs, and you don't trust personal protective equipment...then Nursing would NOT be your thing..and PA too!...heck anything medical that deals with people!

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Specializes in ER preceptorship, almost a year on PCU..

I didn't want to start a separate thread for this in case there was one already going and this one's close enough... I'm still pre-nursing, but this is a big concern for me. Bodily fluids and functions don't bother me, but I really don't like the idea of having to stick things where I can't see them (and can't be sure if they're going where they're supposed to). Needles, catheters... etc. And when I see someone seriously injured, the part of my body that they injured just goes numb. (This could be a big problem if I'm standing and have to treat someone's leg injuries!) I know I'm gonna have to get over this... I was just wondering if others had the same problems and had to get over it, too, or if most of you were fine with it from the start. And if the first, how long did it take until you were comfortable with that stuff? Thanks!

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Specializes in Float.

I graduate next spring and just started an intern job. I've only had to deal with poop a few times. Today was one of them. A VERY large woman who can't even get out of bed. I went in to help the CNA change the bed and clean the pt up. I started gagging and had to cover my nose. I felt SO bad. I can handle LOOKING at anything. I can handle blood no problem. I watched a chest tube be put in for a pneumothorax and that didn't bother me.

It's ONLY smell. I just have a REALLY sensitive gag reflex. I started holding my breath and well - obviously - that doesn't work very long lol.

I LOVE working with patients and taking care of them - I just struggle with the smell of poop and am not sure how I'm going to handle it. It's not that I feel it's beneath me or anything like that, and I want to take care of the patient....but how do I breath when I'm gagging? LOL

Any advice for me? I asked the CNA afterwards if she had any tricks and she said you just get use to it...I'm afraid I never will and I'm afraid of what I can do in the meanwhile to be able to BREATHE through the odor - this patient took at least 10 minutes to clean up because we had to make the bed with her in it. I had to pull with every muscle I had to get the fitted sheet on.

I felt so bad for the pt, she was obviously in pain trying to turn herself and help us. I started talking about her grandkids to get my mind off of what I was doing. I don't mind wiping or anything - as long as I don't get a whiff. Why can't I be TALL and then I wouldn't be so close to it lol

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Specializes in ICU, Med-Surg, Military Nursing.

Being tall doesn't really help... I'm 6'3" and still have the same gagging problem. Hope I can get over it someday!

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you have to have heart, strong stomach, and dedication to saving people's lives. there is always a bad side to a job. but at the end all that should matter is that you did something, that you put your self-comfort aside to save people. later skater. I have yet to experience that. i guess i should wait. Lol It will be my turn pretty soon to deal with that stuff.

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Specializes in orthopaedics.

in my opinion nursing is about the human body and its functions yuky or not they are there and will be dealt with at some point in your career. is there a reason you chose nursing and thought you could get away from body functions? what about your clinicals? you are exposed to yuckies on a daily basis. good luck finding a fullfilling career minus the yuckies.:madface:

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In all reality nursing is a yukkey job.

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Yes that is a very good point callarn. I was a certified nurses aid and i always thought to my self what if that was one of my family members how would i want them to be treated and i always treated patients in a kind manner and i even helped my grandma batle breast cancer by going over there when she was sick and take care of her but she is doing well now. I think if bodily fluids bothers you then the medical Field is not for you.

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I'm not a nurse, but I'm sure you could find areas of work that have none - or at least less - "yuckies". I'm sure the average NP/PA in Family Medicine doesn't have to deal with bodily fluids a lot, if they work primarily on an outpatient basis. I'm sure patients vomit in an outpatient center, but the medical assistant would probably clean it up if you asked her. A PMHNP or PA equivalent probably has to deal with very little bodily fluids - if at all. If blood freaks you out, maybe OR/CRNA nursing would be a good choice. You could use the BSN to go into an MSN in Nursing Administration or an MBA. You could be a medical supervisor for an insurance company.

So if you can't avoid it all together, you could probably at least minimize it.

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

I'm not thrilled about dealing with the 'yukkies' but I realize it is just the way things are. I accept it and deal with it because I want to be a nurse.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
I'm not a nurse, but I'm sure you could find areas of work that have none - or at least less - "yuckies". I'm sure the average NP/PA in Family Medicine doesn't have to deal with bodily fluids a lot, if they work primarily on an outpatient basis. I'm sure patients vomit in an outpatient center, but the medical assistant would probably clean it up if you asked her. A PMHNP or PA equivalent probably has to deal with very little bodily fluids - if at all. If blood freaks you out, maybe OR/CRNA nursing would be a good choice. You could use the BSN to go into an MSN in Nursing Administration or an MBA. You could be a medical supervisor for an insurance company.

So if you can't avoid it all together, you could probably at least minimize it.

Wow, where did you get the idea that OR or CRNA's don't deal with body fluids. In anesthesia, blood, mucus and stomach contents are our profession! OR nurses clean poops all the time and certainly deal with blood. You can't be a NP unless you become a nurse so this person has to get through nursing school and n. school isn't for the squeamish. There's plenty other helping professions with less gore - physical therapy, occupational and speech therapies.

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Yes that is a very good point callarn.

You do realize that the person to whom you are referring made her point three years ago and hasn't been back since???

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