Odd things you've seen in nursing

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The post about MRSA and empting a foley reminded me of something strange that happened at work. There was a patient that was infected with HIV who had a foley. Of all the odds, a cna was emptying the urine into the toilet when some of the urine splashed into the cna's eye! The cna was terrified they would contract the disease. I don't think it is very likey to contract it that way. Although, I would have been scared too. The cna was treated for exposure and was fine. That post just made me think of it, and how even though we use universal precautions we really do put ourselves on the line germ wise.

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Specializes in Medical Assistant, Peds.

Absolutely! Although, urine is "sterile" unless he had blood in it. But yes, nursing is risky business.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I am a school nurse with a diabetic student who performs her own care with my supervision. Last week her friend came in with her before school when she was checking her BG. I was tending to another student, so my attention was diverted. When I turned around I saw the friend with the diabetic student's test meter in hand (it is the kind with the lancet device attached to the meter), and the used lancet was still loaded. I flipped out! I could just imagine this student (a teacher's kid, no less) getting a needle stick from a used lancet on my watch. The kids did not get what the big deal was. They got a big lecture on universal precautions and "if it is wet and came out of someone else...don't touch it!

Kinda random but the urine splash story made me think of it.

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One of the riskiest tasks that we do . . . suctioning a trach patient not on a vent . . . I wear a face shield but I've still been had "loogies" hit me on the arm, on my scrubs, once . . . in my hair!!!! Yuck!!!:eek:

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Specializes in PICU, Pediatrics, Pediatric Home Health.
One of the riskiest tasks that we do . . . suctioning a trach patient not on a vent . . . I wear a face shield but I've still been had "loogies" hit me on the arm, on my scrubs, once . . . in my hair!!!! Yuck!!!:eek:

I learned the hard way -- I was an orienting RN and had a patient who had a GSW to the head and was trached. He developed a lung infection and had frothy sputum coming out of his trach -- I went to suction him and he coughed and I got sputum in my eyes... nasty!!!

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Absolutely! Although, urine is "sterile" unless he had blood in it. But yes, nursing is risky business.

I was curious about this statement. I was always told urine is sterile but our nursing instructor recently told us that urine is only sterile IMMEDIATELY after it leaves the body. She said it immediately begins to break down and is no longer sterile. Do you have any thoughts on this?

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I would agree with your nursing instructor. Although sterile at first, urine doesn't stay sterile for long, from what I've been told. I believe it also has something to do with it hitting the air too. Also, think about when you are collecting urine from a foley for a specimen. You don't just get it out of the bag, you draw from the tube... *Still pondering*

And the sputum stories! Ahhhh! That's terrible! In your hair?!!?!?

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And the sputum stories! Ahhhh! That's terrible! In your hair?!!?!?

Heheh, remember the scene from "There's Something About Mary"?

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Oh, I remember another yucky, gross thing that happened to me.

WARNING!!! STOP READING IF YOU'RE EATING OR ARE SQUEAMISH!!!

I was placing an NG tube on a patient with an ileus . . . huge, rock hard, distended belly . . . I gowned up and had face shield on . . . had a wash basin, just in case . . .

when I was inserting the NG, the patient projectile vomited a stream of brown, fecal material into the wash basin, splashed back onto my gown . . . dripped all over my shoes (dang . . . forgot the shoe covers!!!!) . . . got the NG tube in, connected to suction . . . aspirated out 3 more liters of the same brown liquid!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

And, the smell!!!! You know how you keep smelling it even after thoroughly washing up?? I kept smelling it all day long.

The joys of nursing . . . .

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Specializes in Cardiac step down unit.

Not a nursing situation, but reading all of the yucky stuff in the above posts made me remember this.

When our dog was a puppy, maybe 6 months, he would do the "excited peeing." I came into the house and the dog was going nuts for attention. I finally reach down to pet him, he flips onto his back for me to rub his belly.

Well, he "excited pee'd" right in my face, and OF COURSE I was talking to him and my mouth was open. :eek:

I almost died right there on the spot. My 5 year old daughter LOVES to bring that up in groups of people: "Hey mom, remember when Max pee'd in your mouth?" :barf01:

Kelly

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The ileus story reminded me of taking care of a colostomy. I was always terrified when irrigating one that I would have an explosion and you know how bad those smell! Sounds to me like you have some terrible luck... I think you should have full access to a shower every shift. LOL :jester:

Hilarious pee story! I would make sure I explained that story everytime. Never let it just be dropped at "Remember when Max peed in your mouth." People might think you're strange.:yeah:

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Not a nursing situation, but reading all of the yucky stuff in the above posts made me remember this.

Well, he "excited pee'd" right in my face, and OF COURSE I was talking to him and my mouth was open. :eek:

I almost died right there on the spot. My 5 year old daughter LOVES to bring that up in groups of people: "Hey mom, remember when Max pee'd in your mouth?" :barf01:

Kelly

that was funny but it's happened to my brother before!:lol2:

in my case,i 've conducted a delivery for a patient who was so uncooperative,despite my apron,i still got blood stain and amnion liquor all over my neatly washed uniform and shoes.i washed it but i still smell terribly for the rest of the day!:mad:

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