what percentage of your job involves poop?

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Also what percentage of your job do you have to use critical thinking skills; assessing a patient, acting fast, anything other than routine, nothing to learn type of situations (that you might or might not enjoy as well)

Just wondering. Just a pre-nursing student that wants to change change careers, but once in a while questions myself.

Thanks!

wow i have heard of this before, but momentarily forgot. feel so bad that a patient would have to go through this, thank god a nurse is there to help.

oh, and unfortunately, not ALL stool can be 'wiped' up.

some unfortunate patients develop blockages, from CA, etc, and they end up vomiting stool.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

What percentage of my job involves poop?

In the ER -- 5%

In the ICU -- 25%

What percentage of my job involves critical thinking? 100%

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

OK, sorry OP. (insert hanging head here.)

When you first start out in nursing school, you will likely have to do your first few clinicals in a nursing home or a LTC facility. You will be cleaning up poop.

Don't let this gross you out. If you have an acute sense of smell (I can smell what someone has had for dinner the night before just from talking with them) like I do, then take some Vicks Vapo-Rub and rub a bit right above your upper lip. Don't feel badly for wanting to wear a surgical mask to clean up a real 'end geyser', because it really can be quite disgusting. If you keep in the back of your mind that the poor patient is humiliated that you are having to clean up after them, it will make it more tolerable.

As far as numbers go, it would entirely depend on the unit you are working on. For example, when I was working on the Gyn/Onc unit, I would have to clean up poop maybe 3x a shift. When I was working in the PACU, this rarely happened; maybe once every month. Now that I am in the OR, it can happen about once every 5 months.

Hope this helps.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
be nice.remember I am pre-nursing student (with no family member that has been in the medical field).. Maybe when you are actually working it doesn't phase you , but just wondering how much is lifting your patients and cleaning them.

i think in numbers, so i am sorry if the concept of how many hours was offense :( wasn't my intention. also i didn't say i would NEVER be ok! if i am asking how much i am acknowledging that it is at least part of the job, right?

You are right, my post was a bit harsh. My apologies:heartbeat

All the best,

Diane, RN

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

It depends on where you work. I work med/surg so we see a variety of patients. One day I can have all patients who take care of their own bodily functions (lap appys/choles), TKA, etc. The next day you can have incontinent total hip surgeries, GI preps, etc. Really truly depends.

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No problem! Just realized I probably sound so naive (which I am ) when it comes to the nursing field, have so much to learn, thanks to ALL for your feedback and information, not only on this thread but all over allnurses. i really will feel honored to care for people and I know whatever is difficult for me will be even more difficult for my patient. (and will definitely take the vicks vapor rub suggestion, actually thinking of trying it out in the house now with my husband and kids who emit some vile smells from time to time (as in everyday) :) )

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I don't mind poop a bit... much better than difficult family members... and the reason that the other poster did not have to smell it warm was because that person I believe was refering to lab samples... notice that posters handle... good luck! This IS the best (and hardest) job I've ever!!

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Specializes in CVICU.

It depends on your patient and your unit. As an ICU nurse, my job used critical thinking 100% of the time, and poop cleaning was variable depending on the patient. If it was a CDif or other diarrhea or incontinence, the poop might have been 80% of my night. A normal patient might not even need my assistance with poop.

I can tell you that believe it or not, you will get to a point where while it will never be your favorite thing to do, cleaning poop will not even be a blip on the radar of things you worry about. You eventually don't care about it at all anymore.

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Specializes in Tele, Med-Surg, MICU.

Or, as an ICU RN, I hope the patient poops because then everything is working and I'll do a complete skin assessment... I kid you not... And it is much easier than difficult families...

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Specializes in drug seekers and the incurably insane..

Plenty of it at my job. Management is good at throwing ****at the staff!!

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Are we talking actual poop or poop as a euphemism for dealing with doctors, families, and piles of paperwork? :rotfl:

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

If you get GI bleed, you'll be cleaning it up 3x an hour for most of your shift, and it will be 10 percent stool and 90 percent blood. It spatters, it sticks, and it smells. the smell gets in your hair and you will smell it on your way home.

Poop is the last thing to worry about. Just remember that RN doesn't mean you don't have to deal with poop. When I've got a patient with a GI bleed, diarrhea, VRE, c-diff, etc., and need help turning them, I always say, "butter side to the nurse." My patient, my poop to deal with.

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