What Gets to You??

mstigerlily · Nov 4, 2005

I actually like wounds, don't mind trachs, earwax and eyeballs.I've given foot rubs and cleaned toenails (with gloves) of some nasty fungusy yellow feet - so what? Don't mind blood, veins, bones sticking out - I find surgery and trauma pretty fascinating. Don't care about pee, even stinky pee. Vomit isn't so bad, esp the non-chunky variety.

Poop is fine, seen tons of poop. I have three kids so I've already seen diarrhea, vomit, lice and pinworms coming out of the butt right here at home. But c-diff poop and the poop (and projectile vomit) of those with intestinal bleeds and bowel obstructions is NASTY.

And this is stupid but - DENTURES. Hate seeing them come out of the mouth and drop into a bowl. Hate ::shudder:: brushing them and hate seeing them go back into the mouth. I could NEVER be a dentist or dental hygienist.

And even though suctioning and trachs don't bug me I HATE HATE HATE seeing a dirty yaunkers (sp?) hissing away at the bedside and seeing it stuffed into someone's mouth to clean it again. That makes me want to hurl.

Hi, I am new here!!! What I want to know is what gets to you? I think we all have something that just really makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up when you have to take care of it.
I can't stand FINGER INJURIES!!!!!!!!! It just makes me cringe to see them.
I would rather take care of an amputated limb than a mangled finger.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Nov 4, 2005

sputum -- just can't stand it! especially in trached patients with a trach tent -- they're spewing it all over the place. yuk!

mari31666 · Nov 4, 2005

in labor and delivery we see a lot of blood, body fluids and poop. i deal with it. i just hate counting the bloody laps from a c/section in the O/R when you circulate. and scrub in on a section gives me nightmares. could be that i had to scrub for 10 days on orientation, and hated it every time. although i must say that i hate fetal demises and i saw one d&e to date. that was the absolute worst.

jenruth · Nov 4, 2005

Ok, back to the poster who has an office person telling Nursing what to do. This has been an irritation to me since I was a new graduate. Always snippy, superior, and demeaning to the nursing staff, these lard butted, coffee-cup jockeys usually have something negative to say about nurses. They encourage gossip and ill-will among staff members. They also "know" how nurses should do their jobs. While nurses go without a meal or rest break, You can be sure they WILL take their break, as many as they can get away with. Don't ask them to fax something or make a call for you, as they will never go out of their way or do anything extra to help out. When I'm around they stay in their office. :angryfire

AngelsRN · Nov 4, 2005

Loose teeth, my son finally lost the darn thing! He been twisting it in circles for days. I think that's so gross.
Suzi

Oh my yes . . . my friends 5-year old was showing me how loose her tooth was last night and oh did that make my stomach turn --- vomit also does it for me -- I can handle feces, urine etc. Trachs . . . well, that can get me too depending on what comes out.

Rudedog2308 · Nov 4, 2005

I would have a problem with maggots, or any other kind of insect, crawling out of anywhere.

How 'bout under the foreskin!!!! True story! :crying2:

MissBekkie26 · Nov 4, 2005

GI rectal bleeds i second that!! the sight and the smell :barf01:

tencat · Nov 4, 2005

I love trauma stuff, the OR is great, but..... what gets to me is big nasty large necrotic wounds with that lovely rot smell and sloughing yellow and grey stuff. EWWWW! Last one I had had a roommate whom I felt very, very sorry for because as soon as you took off the dressing even the doctors ran for the hills. I haven't fainted or puked yet...but came awful close. I'm a student, and I keep getting stuck with these....I think my instructor is mad at me!

ecugirl · Nov 4, 2005

I feel your pain! I never have been able to deal with vomiting...I remember one time; after ambulating a college student who had lost one testicle playing LaCrosse; he became nauseous and vomited when he got back to the bed. After making sure he was settled; with his bath basin; I went into his bathroom and threw up! I could hear his mother saying, "Now look what you did to that nurse! Stop it right now!!" Anyway, we got a big laugh out of it; once we both finished and felt better. All the nurses and nursing assistants I work with just don't bother to ask me for help in this situation; even if it's my patient!!

mhall76 · Nov 4, 2005

Sputum. I can handle it all but adult sputum kills me. Years ago I got hit in the face with a flying goober and I thought I would die.

SheriLynnRN · Nov 4, 2005

Nothing gets to me... if I'm in the presence of it. But I gag like heck when someone describes something gross. I must be an auditory learner.

mstigerlily · Nov 4, 2005

Ok, back to the poster who has an office person telling Nursing what to do. This has been an irritation to me since I was a new graduate. Always snippy, superior, and demeaning to the nursing staff, these lard butted, coffee-cup jockeys usually have something negative to say about nurses. They encourage gossip and ill-will among staff members. They also "know" how nurses should do their jobs. While nurses go without a meal or rest break, You can be sure they WILL take their break, as many as they can get away with. Don't ask them to fax something or make a call for you, as they will never go out of their way or do anything extra to help out. When I'm around they stay in their office. :angryfire

I love your descriptions. :yeahthat: