The "dirty" side of nursing...

Published

I'm a nursing student and as dumb as this may sound, does the gross side of nursing ever get easier to handle? Does dealing with poop and sputum start to gross you out less after a while? Do catheters and genital upkeep become less uncomfortable? These are the areas I'm kind of having a hard time stomaching right at the moment and its making me question my decision to enter nursing school.

Specializes in aged -adolescent.

No matter how careful we are and even when wearing gloves, some of the more incontinent patient's messes aren't contained, have any of you a tried and true remedy for removing the smell. I was told toothpaste is a sure thing and have used it. It was a senior nurse who told me. She passed on a lot of handy hints Bless her.:up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

When I saw your title I thought it was going to be about hospital politics! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiology/oncology/MICU.

It is funny how the things I thought would bother me the most really do not. I do not like emesis of any sort, but especially with blood in it. I also worked on the oncology floor for a bit and hung chemo which often makes people vomit. I have literally been holding a basin for a patient with my head turned the other way gagging every time they would wretch! BM's wounds, pulmonary toilet I can live with just not the emesis!:barf02:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

"The "dirty" side of nursing..."

Wait - there's a clean side of nursing??:lol2::lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.

Am I the only one who feels an immense sense of satisfaction after suctioning a trach full of Pseudomonas or other smelly goo? I love it! :yeah:

The only thing that really turns my stomach is vomit that has a distinct odor to it. Last one that bothered me... strawberry jello vomit. Made my parotids tingle. I can handle normal vomit though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

That's why I love my babies. Same stuff, but MUCH smaller proportions :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in geriatrics.

These things never really bother me. The one thing that kind of turns me off is the odour from a really nasty pressure ulcer. The smell of rotting flesh is unbelievable. But, you're helping someone, so you deal with it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I do wound care for a living and have no problem at all reaching up into a fist deep rotting ulcer to clean off necrotic tissue clinging to an exposed bone (yeah you can imagine the smell of that one!) however, ask me to suction a juicy trach and I lose my cookies. Just cant deal with gagging and mucous. So you will find things you dont mind and others you will learn to tolerate for the sake of the patient. But while we're on the topic of nasty things, I must share last nights experience with you guys (my hubby does not ask/nor care to hear about my day at work). So I was changing the dsg on a sacral decub on a young lady that still had her 'monthlys'. It was her first day of said monthly (re:heavy flow) I had rolled her on her side just as she let a HUGE fart and splattered my face and top with menstrual blood!!!!! It was all I could do to keep my professionalism about me but I was so grossed out I had to laugh out loud. Luckily I carry a change of clothes in the trunk and have no problem at all using the resident shower room. Whew Im glad I got to share that with somebody.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/CCU, Med Surg.
. It was her first day of said monthly (re:heavy flow) I had rolled her on her side just as she let a HUGE fart and splattered my face and top with menstrual blood!!!!! It was all I could do to keep my professionalism about me but I was so grossed out I had to laugh out loud. Luckily I carry a change of clothes in the trunk and have no problem at all using the resident shower room. Whew Im glad I got to share that with somebody.

Whoa.

:barf02:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Wait, I forgot the one that really got to me....the guy that every time he took his dentures out, he would first suck on them and lick them before he would put them in the denture tray.:eek:

I saw lots and lots of really disturbing stuff over the years working in a post trauma ICU for a while and other critical areas. But I never saw anything as disturbing as that...I think I actually turned a little green.:crying2:...for some reason that did it.

Yes, this! OMG, eww! I work as a CNA and can handle everything I've seen (trach suctioning, colostomies, stage 4 pressure ulcers, dressings, wounds, etc.) but this one lady slurps this long, stringy piece of saliva back into her mouth when she takes her dentures out. Gets me every time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I do wound care for a living and have no problem at all reaching up into a fist deep rotting ulcer to clean off necrotic tissue clinging to an exposed bone (yeah you can imagine the smell of that one!) however, ask me to suction a juicy trach and I lose my cookies. Just cant deal with gagging and mucous. So you will find things you dont mind and others you will learn to tolerate for the sake of the patient. But while we're on the topic of nasty things, I must share last nights experience with you guys (my hubby does not ask/nor care to hear about my day at work). So I was changing the dsg on a sacral decub on a young lady that still had her 'monthlys'. It was her first day of said monthly (re:heavy flow) I had rolled her on her side just as she let a HUGE fart and splattered my face and top with menstrual blood!!!!! It was all I could do to keep my professionalism about me but I was so grossed out I had to laugh out loud. Luckily I carry a change of clothes in the trunk and have no problem at all using the resident shower room. Whew Im glad I got to share that with somebody.

OMG!!!! Okay, I would have LOST it! Period blood in your face?!?! Wooooowwww!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm a nursing student and as dumb as this may sound, does the gross side of nursing ever get easier to handle? Does dealing with poop and sputum start to gross you out less after a while? Do catheters and genital upkeep become less uncomfortable? These are the areas I'm kind of having a hard time stomaching right at the moment and its making me question my decision to enter nursing school.

Yes. Eventually after a few times you just view it as a another task that needs to get done and don't think of the gross factor too much. I suppose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion