The gross side of nursing..

RockinChick66 · Jun 25, 2012

Yes, you get used to it. Once you've been at it a while, you get puked on or get a snot-rocket from a trach flown at you, you wipe it off and go on with your shift. I agree with the advice to try to find a CNA job while you're in school.

Haha. Lol I remember a pt I had that was a "snot rocket" from his trach. Every time I walked by, I had to duck. It was a semi private room so getting to the bed by the window was a challenge. We got this person in a private room as soon as one opened. But until then, snot every where!!! Ugh! I hate this part of nursing!!!! But yes, you kind of get use to it.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jun 25, 2012

Ha. I had the special pleasure of catching the puking drunks vomit the other night. It had a nice aroma of red bull and vodka with a slight hint of Jager. It was so bad the rest of the ER was gagging on it. My preceptor had to leave the room. Didnt bother me the slightest.

Yes you get used to it.

iamaca2000 · Jun 25, 2012

I got used to all the sites and smells until I became pregnant. Then it didn't matter what I was used to. I sucked on peppermints and put smelling oils under my nose to be able to handle some of the "fabulous" occurences of everyday nursing.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 25, 2012

I find the candy Atomic Fireballs, an essential part of my nursing supplies. I can't smell a thing with this powerful cinnamon flavor in my mouth. Try it, you'll like it!

Altoids work well, the "Ice" type of gum, even a couple of tic tacs. Peppermint will settle your stomach some, the smell overpowers any gross smells. I think pretty much every nurse has their "thing" that grosses them out more than others. When you see a fellow student turning green over one thiing that you discovered you can handle, tap them out. They may do the same for you. The novelty does wear off quickly, and you will be amazed at stuff that you really think should bother you just doesn't. I would get a CNA job if you can, as others have suggested. Best of luck with your schooling!!

emde · Oct 29, 2012

Hi! I'm new here. I'm about to complete my first term in the school of nursing. I can stand blood, vomit, diarrhea, almost everything that is gross. But what I can't stand are dead bodies. I'm not sure why. I've seen many dead people, family members that have passed away with no problem. But dead bodies, especially if I know that the person was murdered, it is too much for me. I could have problems sleeping, but I know I won't have many chances to deal my that type of things. Do you think I will succeed as a nurse?

Do-over, ASN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

i would just breathe (and still do) through my mouth instead of my nose when cleaning poop or dealing with a colostomy.

A very wise co-worker of mine once stated that she'd rather smell poo than taste poo... To me, truer words were never spoken. I strongly recommend keeping mouths closed when dealing with potentially explosive situations....

As for the OP - don't let yourself get hungry. Things are much easier to "stomach" when your blood sugar is not in the toilet.

cantdoit · Oct 29, 2012

You get used to it for the most part.What I can't get past is the respiratory sounds.... Gagging/hacking etc. yuck!

monkeybug · Oct 29, 2012

You really do get used to a whole lot. I was very squeamish 15 years ago when I started, now I can get up in the middle of lunch, go check a patient and do pericare, clean up some vomit and poo, and then go pick my lunch back up and finish eating (AFTER I wash my hands, of course). The only thing that still gets me is respiratory secretions. Phlegm gives me the shivers.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2012

Hi! I'm new here. I'm about to complete my first term in the school of nursing. I can stand blood, vomit, diarrhea, almost everything that is gross. But what I can't stand are dead bodies. I'm not sure why. I've seen many dead people, family members that have passed away with no problem. But dead bodies, especially if I know that the person was murdered, it is too much for me. I could have problems sleeping, but I know I won't have many chances to deal my that type of things. Do you think I will succeed as a nurse?

There are plenty of areas of nursing that don't involve dealing with dead bodies on a daily basis. I would stay away from ER, Trauma, ICU, Oncology and Hospice. Perhaps something outpatient would be best for you.

teeniebert, LPN · Oct 30, 2012

Yeah, you get used to it. You stop evaluating it really on the surface of what it is and start processing it more as a product of a health condition, which helps it be a bit more arm's length. That being said, every nurse has their kryptonite. For some it is mucous, some vomit, some diarrhea, etc. Mine is funky smells. I have learned to be a mouth breather when it bothers me.
You just learn to get past it. Part of that is learning to put yourself in the patient's position and how it would feel to be that sick and have someone dry heaving over you because of a condition you can't control. Part of it is just not having time to be that reactive. You have to deal with whatever is going on and then get on with it and go to the next thing/next patient. Some of it is pride in having patients who are clean, whose bandages are nice and neat and white, who are comfortable, etc.
You aren't the first to worry about this. You will very likely be fine.

^^^ this!

WARNING! NASTY TRACH STORY COMING!!!

In my personal life, I have problems with mucus...I don't care where it came from, I don't want to see it or hear anyone expelling it. :yuck:

During med-surg clinicals, I had a pt with a tracheostomy and was terrified of going into her room. Once I went in and greeted her, I noticed she had clear mucus draining from the trach tube (and the humidified O2 via trach collar didn't help much) onto her neck and chest. Lots of it. The only thought I had was 'Oh geez, that HAS to be uncomfortable' and almost before I'd finished that thought I was helping her get clean and dry. Even thinking about it afterward doesn't gross me out--it's in my 'nurse brain' and not my normal brain. Later on as a nurse in LTC, I had to do suction on several pts and that didn't bother me either. However, someone 'hocking a loogy', whether pt, friend, family, or random stranger somewhere, still makes me shudder.

DoGoodThenGo · Oct 30, 2012

It's all relative and one does get used to most all goo, poo and spew smells after awhile. Up to and including being able to down an order of Mo-shu Pork and fried rice at the nurse's desk whislt several beds down the bay a patient is having a very explosive and pungent BM.

Nuring being a mainly female profession most will report that during *certain* times of the month and or whilst being great with child odors and or smells that normally didn't offend now instantly present the urge to unswallow or even feel faint.

DoGoodThenGo · Oct 30, 2012

There are plenty of areas of nursing that don't involve dealing with dead bodies on a daily basis. I would stay away from ER, Trauma, ICU, Oncology and Hospice. Perhaps something outpatient would be best for you.

As a nun once remarked to me during one's younger days and was flat out refusing to go near a recently deceased patient; "honey he's dead, he can't do anything to you now, get on about yer work". *LOL*

Heard a story once and have no idea if it is true or not but it seems there was a young nurse totally afraid of going near a dead body. As luck would have she was working nights and a patient expired and being the only RN on that side of the floor it fell mainly to her to prepare and wrap the body then summon transport to take it down to the morgue.

Story goes after removing the top bed linen and doing something at the food of the bed (with her back to the deceased) the corpse suddenly lurched upwards and wrapped its arms around the woman's shoulders! *LOL* It continues this nurse ran screaming from the room with that corpse firmly still clutching her body!