The one thing in nursing/medical that makes you shudder?

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I've seen, smelled, and have heard a lot over the years as I'm sure we all have. I will NEVER forget during a clinical when our professor was teaching us how to suction a trach. The sound alone made me gag not mention seeing the secretions enter into the cannister. Then the patient coughed and sputum flew across the room! From then on i dread any suctioning of secretions esp trach. I can handle vomit. I even love a great wound, smell doesn't bother me. But sputum is the #1 most dreadful shudder inducing thing i always hope to avoid.

So what is it that you absolutely cannot deal not with (even though you have to do it)?

Share your story!

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Specializes in Med Surg, Parish Nurse, Hospice.

Anything that involves an eye injury.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Feet are nasty. And mouths. I'd rather suction a trach or clean up after a GI bleed than deal with toes falling off in my hand or washing dentures that have days' worth of food in them. I can do these things, but just because I'm able to endure it somehow doesn't mean I don't have to fight off the urge to vomit. Brrrrrr.

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Specializes in Gerontology.

NG tubes. Hate them.

Just the thought of having to insert one nearly sends me into a panic.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Eyeballs and eye injuries

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Specializes in Oncology (OCN).
1 hour ago, Pepper The Cat said:

NG tubes. Hate them.

Just the thought of having to insert one nearly sends me into a panic.

Right there with you!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Moldy dentures. In a patient's mouth. ? *hurk*

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Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.

Hanging blood. I can walk into what looks like a crime scene and I’m fine, but something about the blood in the bag makes me feel like I’m going to pass out.

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NG tubes and trach stuff - yuck!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Poop. Its pretty much one of the top three reasons I left bedside nursing. Blood, sputum, vomit, mucous, smelly nasty wounds - no problem. But cleaning up BMs was super hard for me. I always struggled with gagging deep inside. Never got past it.

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Emptying a colostomy bag esp when the patient is positive for c-diff ? just the smell being contained to the bag and really smelling horrid when you open the bag!

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