Stool sample for Micro class?????

Published

We were informed last night in our Micro lab that next week we will be taking home specimen cups to collect samples of our stool for the following week's lab. This is a departmental requirement, not just something my instructor wants to do. We were all pretty squicked out about it, but I just told myself, "you gotta do what you gotta do."

Well, this morning I told people I know about it, and everyone is absolutely horrified that I have to do this! :chuckle Even other people who have taken Micro before are shocked. Did anyone else have to do this? Is this a common lab for pre-nursing students? Or do I go to a school staffed by poop freaks? :chuckle

Specializes in Ambulatory Care/Rehabilitation.

We were told we would be culturing poop samples, but we could bring dog poo instead of our own! No one was grossed out and the only requirement was that it had to be 'fresh', as in only a few hours old if possible. I'd ask if that is acceptable, otherwise.....I guess all I can say is, as nurses, we're going to be seeing a whole lot of things that are worse than poop! Triple glove and get the poo!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
One person in our class had a metallic green sheen over his poo. Our instructor was thoroughly impressed with his green sheen poo.

Sounds like something off a chinese menu:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED.
Sounds like something off a chinese menu:D

that's just funny :lol2: and wrong at the same time!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I took micro for my first degree (thank goodness it transfered). Anywho we were sent to the rest room with a swab to collect our own fecal swab during class. Talk about a room full of freaked out folks as none of us were headed to the medical field at that time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Eish!!! Some of the procedures people go through in the name of training leaves a lot to be desired!! I think the Proffessor / Tutor was rather mocking the trainees than training them. I wonder how many of your classmates completed the training!!! One of my classmates discontinued her midwifery training because the Tutor made her texamine a day old 'Biparite' (sp) placenta bare handed!!! This was in the name of sparing gloves which were meant to be 'very expensive!!' I was lucky as I was not picked upon to demonstrate examination of an abnormal placenta after being kept over night!! My reaction might have caused me the whole of my proffession too!!:no:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
eish!!! some of the procedures people go through in the name of training leaves a lot to be desired!! i think the proffessor / tutor was rather mocking the trainees than training them. i wonder how many of your classmates completed the training!!! one of my classmates discontinued her midwifery training because the tutor made her texamine a day old 'biparite' (sp) placenta bare handed!!! this was in the name of sparing gloves which were meant to be 'very expensive!!' i was lucky as i was not picked upon to demonstrate examination of an abnormal placenta after being kept over night!! my reaction might have caused me the whole of my proffession too!!:no:

wow. talk about conditions "not ideal". that situation is a serious one. i sure hope that they have changed their protocol. expensive is getting hiv or hepb, not a pair of gloves!! i would retake my stool sample a thousand times with gloves before grabbing a placenta without gloves. amazing. the birthing process is certainly one amazingly messy job. i understand that reality being what it is, that gloves are not easily come by in certain parts of the world. but, wow. thanks for sharing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in oncology, kidney transplant.

I graduated from nursing school in 1993 and in my prereqs in Micro we had to bring a stool specimen. We were told it had to be human not animal. I had 3 young children at the time, and two of them tried to poop first so it would be their specimen I would take. I took one specimen and found out my youngest had pinworms. (I did not take her specimen). The funniest thing was our lab proctor. She told us the semester before us there was a student who had a 15year old son and he sold his poop for five bucks per specimen for those who did not want to bring their own.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In micro the on samples we had to bring in were hair and nail samples. we also took samples around our house to see what we could find.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I graduated from nursing school in 1993 and in my prereqs in Micro we had to bring a stool specimen. We were told it had to be human not animal. I had 3 young children at the time, and two of them tried to poop first so it would be their specimen I would take. I took one specimen and found out my youngest had pinworms. (I did not take her specimen). The funniest thing was our lab proctor. She told us the semester before us there was a student who had a 15year old son and he sold his poop for five bucks per specimen for those who did not want to bring their own.

If I was charging, I would have made $60 for my "contributions" when I went through. My girlfriend might say that my maturity level is the same as your son's as well!:D

This thread is revealing me a little too close!!:rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

Just seems kind of wrong to me. Do you dispose of them in the trash? I mean I hope they let the custodians know if they're the ones takeing that nasty trash out. I think its a bit overkill for a micro class, maybe if your going for med lab tech (upper class). I would have grossed out over that one. EWWW

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh, I took Micro last summer and we definitely had to bring in a stool sample! The requirement was that it had to be human. I brought in my son's sample and found out that he actually had some digestion problems. It was a really funny day watching everyone pull out their specimens in cups in bags from their backpacks! We all decided that on a count of 3, that everyone would open and obtain a swab at the same time. We all held our breaths!

But I tell ya, a week later when we all came back to see what they grew, it was slightly embarrassing to be called to the front of the class to discuss my very strange and unusual specimen!! LOL

Now, I am set to graduate in May and it's just one of those great memories on this adventurous road called nursing school!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Just seems kind of wrong to me. Do you dispose of them in the trash? I mean I hope they let the custodians know if they're the ones takeing that nasty trash out. I think its a bit overkill for a micro class, maybe if your going for med lab tech (upper class). I would have grossed out over that one. EWWW

We disposed of them in the biohazard trash, just like we did with all the other "bugs" we worked with. My sister-in-law went to that same school more than ten years ago and they made her do the same thing in Micro. I guess it is a long lived tradition there, I can't believe that no one else had to do that in other schools! I always thought it was a standard thing in Micro!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion