snicker-snicker...first digital bm removal

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and I had to have help. Not because I didn't know what to do. This happened at work this weekend where as an LPN I'm still doing many procedures for the first time on my own.

I had trouble because my hands are very small, my fingers very short. I could feel the stool at the tip of my finger but couldn't reach beyond it to pull it out. :chuckle Another nurse with longer fingers had to complete the task. :chuckle

I never considered my short stature as a detriment to completing my nursing tasks. Should have considered on my fingers! :lol2:

Might be something I'll need to bring up at future job interviews?

Cindy

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:eek: I am sure the other nurse really was happy to help you!!!

I wouldn't mention it a the interviews though... might get you out of some unwanted situations!!! lol

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When they first mentioned this procedure in my nursing class there was this groan that went throughout the room...I think i would rather do this than clean up a very messy #2 especially where there is a hip fx....I am cleaned up my fair share of it this past semester and I don't mind it

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

Pulling out a bm? huh? You pull a bm out of the rectum? :eek: :confused: :imbar Oh my!

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Originally posted by RNKittyKat

Pulling out a bm? huh? You pull a bm out of the rectum? :eek: :confused: :imbar Oh my!

You'll get your chance,sister.......
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Originally posted by RNKittyKat

Pulling out a bm? huh? You pull a bm out of the rectum? :eek: :confused: :imbar Oh my!

:D Just wondering where else one would think to pull it out of?:roll
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In all my years, I have done this a whole Once. I felt like I was delivering twins. Yuuuuuuuuuukkkkkkkkkkk

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Originally posted by RNKittyKat

Pulling out a bm? huh? You pull a bm out of the rectum? :eek: :confused: :imbar Oh my!

You must not have children. ;) I think parenthood is a good preparation for working as a nurse.

When I told my son I was going to nursing school, he said "but you already know how to nurse!" (breastfeed)

Sorry, that really had nothing to do with the topic. Just popped into my head.

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.
Originally posted by klone

You must not have children. ;) I think parenthood is a good preparation for working as a nurse.

When I told my son I was going to nursing school, he said "but you already know how to nurse!" (breastfeed)

Sorry, that really had nothing to do with the topic. Just popped into my head.

Actually, I have two grown kids and a grand and have changed my share of diapers and other stuff but I don't remember having to manually extract bm out of them. Is that really a procedure I have to look forward to? I thought we had enemas to do that stuff.

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Some see it as a liability issue. Same reason for not doing rectal temps. Usually a Gastroenterologist is called for consult and they do it, hell they get paid well for it. I swear, they can have all of my pateints in that situation.

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ok heres another fine story for you newbies....Oe nursing home I worked at... was "Lax" on their bowel program. So oce a week or so I would go through the BM books (a nice name for the BM records of 50 some residents). Finding anyone incontenient who

hadn't had a BM recorded in more than 3 days. I would load up a bedside stand and roll down the hall with a box of gloves, small trash bags abna tube of KY jelly.

Oh yea I pulled some stool in my days there... some hard like rocks others taffy or even that "old balck water" I have seen it all. One time I will never forget was a woman with Mega-colon who had enough "soft-formed" stool to fill a 2 gallon trash bag. What impressed me was that when I dumped it into the toilet the stool actually raised the level of the water.

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I use to disimpact patients all the time. Its still practiced in home health, usually with bedridden patients. I had a patient I disimpacted every 3 days and PRN she was paralyzed. I remeber my first disimpaction it was like horse s*** for real. The patient was gratful ! I do not have short fingers but it difficult at times especially if you can not hook the finger to grap it TMI but if its too high do not advance :( a good dose of Lactulose, white/black cow, Mag Citrate a full bottle cold hopefully will do the trick

Teresa

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