soon to be RN

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I'm also one of the many that is going to graduate this coming May and I am still not used to being around sputum, people gagging, smelling the awful scent that is left after a pt. has had a b.m. Am I kidding myself thinking I can work on the floor or is this just natural? Will I make a good nurse or will I make a pt. feel embarrassed because I can't handle the above? If I choose to work at a hospital knowing that I am only doing it to get floor experience is this right or should I just go work where I want to like a dr's office or management position?

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Specializes in M/S, Infectious Dieases, Pediatrics/NICU.

If you know for sure you do not want any floor/hospital experience, why put yourself in that situation? And if down the road you do want to work in a hospital, then they will train you just as they would any new hire. Congrats on graduating and good luck.

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Maybe you should think of nursing more as an RN, not PCT thing. Yes, we do have to do bed, bath, I&Os etc at the hospital many times but I believe that our job is MUCH more than just that. Try to get position in the MD's office... Maybe you can work your way through to the management position there. But I believe you are kidding yourself more thinking you will jump above your head and work in the administration before working as a regular RN.

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

my externship was in pacu/prep & holding/ambulatory surgery/same day surgery. the vast majority of my patients were walkie-talkies. i know that i emptied more jp's than bedpans and bedside commodes. post-op emesis was the most pungent thing i knew well. medsurg clinical exposed me to incontinence care, stinky wounds, and yummy trach specials, but it was just exposure to these. i didn't really experience it until i started my position as a medsurg rn. it wasn't easy to learn to deal with these things, but i became desensitized. the first time i emptied a bm-filled bedpan, i threw up and turned on the sink so the nurse wouldn't hear me! :barf02:there are many tricks for dealing with smells, and i do think one gets used to those as well as the sights! some of us may have stronger stomachs and constitutions, but i don't think you should give up on working conditions that will require you to deal with these things!

wish you the best!

jess

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