What Freaks You Out?

susanmary · Apr 5, 2002

Attending who picked his nose repeatedly and then grabbed some of the pretzels in the bag staff were munching on. Needless to say, the bag was history.

cbs3143 · Apr 5, 2002

TBone,

You've confused me. You were an army medic, but got out of the USMC?

We saw some nasty stuff in the pathology lab at Fort WainWright too, so I can see where you're coming from. Nothing as bad as you described though.

Mucus is probably the worst thing for me to handle. We had a really dyspneic trach patient in the ER and the nurses and RT people were along each side of the cart. The ER doc was at the foot of the bed observing. When she coughed hard, guess who was in the direct line of fire for the mucus plug volley? She could breathe better, but it was pretty gross hanging on the front of his scrub shirt.

whipping girl in 07, RN · Apr 5, 2002

OK, I'm weird, I guess. I ENJOY suctioning an ETT, seeing what sorts of crap I can get out of the patient's lungs. I'm always disappointed when I don't get anything or it's just clear and thin. :rolleyes:

It's smells that get to me, and I especially hate the smell of urine that's been sitting all night in the urinal next to the bed, especially when it's beside something to drink. Ugh!!

I hate that smell that neuros get. I can't describe it but it's all the same.

And tube feeding just kills me, I don't know why.

We don't empty the GI canisters, we just throw them away. I can't imagine having to OPEN that. EWWWW!

GI bleeds, anything GI has a particular funk to it. Even my husband smelled when he had his GB out last year.

We bathe our patients at night in ICU. Nothing I like better than getting in there and making them smell good early so I can enjoy it for the rest of the night (or for a couple of hours on GIs and neuros).

Great thread!!:roll

cbs3143 · Apr 5, 2002

Back to the maggot experiences.

We had a patient arrive in his Caddilac, fairly new, but trashed. The driver had some physical limitations and hadn't been able to get out of his car for some time. He just drove to fast food places when he was hungry and had difficulty with his personal needs if you get my drift. Fortunately, the police dept. gave us a heads up on his condition before they escorted him to our garage. We were all gowned and double-gloved.

As soon as I went into the garage, I said out loud, "We've got maggots!" We took him to a room and cleaned him up as best we could. We had caught and killed a few maggots, but as we were rolling him onto his side when another maggot crawled out of his rectum. Woahhhhhh!!! That one got us going. The odor was bad enough, but that maggot crawling out of his rectum really gave us the heebie jeebie. No one ralphed, but there were some full body shivers going on in that little room.

Zee_RN, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2002

OMG!!!! I just LOVE nursing! Where else can you have this much fun?!

NurseDennie, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2002

I probably shouldn't even say this. Okay, I made it up, this entire thing is completely fictitious.

It WOULD have freaked me out bigtime if I'd ever received an intubated patient from another unit, with the O2 and water bottle ON the bed, and the entire hose thingie (it didn't happen, so I don't have to wrack my brain for whatever it is I'm trying to say) Completely FULL of water.

That would be really bad.

Love

Dennie

Perk · Apr 6, 2002

Being a nursing student when I first came across C-Diff I didn't know what to expect. Being nervous that day, I walk into the hospital and before I even get the chance to take a look at the chart I am asked to get my pt on the commode. Cleaning out the commode is what got to me, and I ended up losing my breakfast to it. Thankfully I know the good old Vicks trick now, just apply a bit around nose and your pretty much good to go. I have been perfectly ok with C. Diff since.

One thing I can't get used to is teeth EWWE especially false teeth. There is something wrong with having a set of teeth in your hand. Thankfully I don't get the "dry heaves" with it, just a reevaluation of "why in the world am I doing this"?

Have a good one :)

Nancy

gr8nurse4u · Apr 6, 2002

oral cancer breath

stringy urine

fecal emesis

the smell eminating from between the legs of the 300+ pound woman

Kimber

MitziK · Apr 7, 2002

Scabies and Lice!

Anything involving a needle put into the spine.

markuy06 · Apr 7, 2002

Originally posted by Goofball

Well if they really need the procedure, I do it, but stay with as flat an affect as possible, then get the heck out.
What is way worse to me than this type of pt., is the pt. who has a Voyeur-type family member who refuses to leave the room, and the pt. agrees with them -they don't want to help, they just want to WATCH while you do things to the pt. that should be done in private. These types are rare, but very creepy.
Makes me so disgusted, I usually refuse to do whatever the activity is to give the peeper any satisfaction of titillation, even bathing a pt., unless their visitor is going to step out.

:chuckle

I have been reading the post in here for a few days. i will let you know you have made me curious for alot of things I have only been in nursing for 3 years and haven't seen anything yet that grosses me out,

But the people that won't leave the room, or say " I will kill myself if he dies". and a big one is.

When a patient is sleeping and their spouse is eatting their meal. when the patient wakes up they are hungry we call and get them a meal. But to top it off the spouse only stays with the patient for 10 to 15 min. and says i was here all day i have to go.

It's not the stuff I see with the patient themselfs it's the family that gets me.

Thanks for letting me vent

:blushkiss I feel better

Have a great day!

josie001 · Apr 7, 2002

I totall identify with the ortho pins and the trachy comments. Nursed a chap last night who had both - just how lucky can a girl get?!

aj1973 · Apr 7, 2002

Yep, loving this thread. I'm another mucus hater, but the trachy stuff doesn't bother me, I hate old men (and women in some cases) who just have to hack the stuff up day and night. I just can't cope with that, I think it's revolting and have said so to patients on occasions.

My other pet hate is feet. Especially dirty toenails and flaky skin. Ever tried to wash the feet of a homeless person? Let me tell you all, it's not a pleasant experience at all!!