What's the worse thing you have seen?

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I'm sure it's plenty of threads on this but, I thought I would get an updated one. :D

What's the worse thing you have seen as a nurse?

Specializes in None.

The thread wasn't intendent on "entertainment". Looking after I have posted this the smilie should not have gone there. The reason I ask this is because I want to become a nurse but i'm not sure if I am able to handle it due to some of the things you all see, that's why I asked.

I'd love to hear the funny stories too, they are great.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I don't think of it as Entertainment and I don't think the OP meant it either. It's human natue to be curious. Everybody wants to see a train wreck like traffic jams from "rubberneckers" forming the "gapers block"as everyone slows down to gape at the carnage.

I think when these questions are asked it is the sense of belonging to a group.....an elite group who share a common bond.......bad things happen to the young and good people everyday. I think we share them not for their shock value.........but to prove commaraderie all that we belong to the same group.......... the group of people who see horrible things and survive.

We talk about them so we may work another day.....

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I remember a couple things from nursing school. One was a cautionary tale during our OR rotation - if you feel like you are going to faint, get away from the table. One student fainted and contaminated the sterile field. Another was a cautionary tale to the men in my class - be careful where you stand, followed by a story of a nurse who walked up to a patients bed and got grabbed in the jewels. Even as a female, that one made me think about where I stood when I approached someone :)

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
I don't think of it as Entertainment and I don't think the OP meant it either. It's human natue to be curious. Everybody wants to see a train wreck like traffic jams from "rubberneckers" forming the "gapers block"as everyone slows down to gape at the carnage.

I think when these questions are asked it is the sense of belonging to a group.....an elite group who share a common bond.......bad things happen to the young and good people everyday. I think we share them not for their shock value.........but to prove commaraderie all that we belong to the same group.......... the group of people who see horrible things and survive.

We talk about them so we may work another day.....

I agree but I felt that talking about patient's intimate stories to someone who is not in the profession would be insensitive. There is a difference between talking to coworkers as a means of coping and talking to people not in the profession just because they want to hear gross stories.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Either watching the 23 weeker be coded, or holding the born-alive 19-weeker knowing there was nothing I could do for her except hold her for two and a half hours until she died, all the while fighting like a mad dog. Nothing sensational in any of that....just sad as hell, and I still tear up thinking about those babies.

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Specializes in None.

loriangel14: I see where you are coming from but, I will never know what I am going to see until I am in NS. That's why I asked what have yall nurses seen. I want to hear the willingly nurses give their experiences they have encountered so I know and have a feel what I will be seeing. I'd rather change being a nurse now that I am not in school then waiting until my clincials in NS and deciding I couldn't do it anymore.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.
loriangel14: I see where you are coming from but, I will never know what I am going to see until I am in NS. That's why I asked what have yall nurses seen. I want to hear the willingly nurses give their experiences they have encountered so I know and have a feel what I will be seeing. I'd rather change being a nurse now that I am not in school then waiting until my clincials in NS and deciding I couldn't do it anymore.

I totally misunderstood the question then, I saw the smile and thought you meant funny. One thing that I always tell people to do is shadow a nurse for a day, as well as ask permission to sit through a nursing class and observe. There are some great medical videos online. Seeing it and hearing it are two different things. You wont get the full effect really until you ACTUALLY see it LIVE (JMO). GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!

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Specializes in cardiac, PACU, some CVICU.

Some of you ladies need to lighten up. For crying out loud, it's just a story on a message board. It's not like you're selling a story to the national enquirer. :rolleyes:

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I don't think of it as Entertainment and I don't think the OP meant it either. It's human natue to be curious. Everybody wants to see a train wreck like traffic jams from "rubberneckers" forming the "gapers block"as everyone slows down to gape at the carnage.

I think when these questions are asked it is the sense of belonging to a group.....an elite group who share a common bond.......bad things happen to the young and good people everyday. I think we share them not for their shock value.........but to prove commaraderie all that we belong to the same group.......... the group of people who see horrible things and survive.

We talk about them so we may work another day.....

I agree - I think some of you are being a bit harsh on the OP...

Nursing is a unique profession with unique challenges; who can a potential nurse ask for advice if not nurses themselves? And who can nurses vent to if not other nurses?

Esme12 - I love your profile pic!!! :redpinkhe

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Specializes in School Nurse.

One think I found kind of disturbing (again during nursing school) was a below the knee amputation when the surgeon removed the leg. Surreal I guess. Not something someone sees in an ordinary day outside of that setting.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

It's odd to me what makes each persons outrage-o-meter alarm. I didn't find the OPs question objectionable. Then I wondered if I should.

To answer the OPs question, it was not what I saw that was the worst thing. I called to inform family of the death of their loved one. "We have a wedding this week and this is going to ruin everything." I don't think I'll ever forget that response.

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One time we had a young woman who had some rare skin condition who looked like all of her skin had been burned. That really bothered me, too.

Was this skin condition "Stevens-Johnson syndrome"? It's a toxic reaction to a medication. I had it about once - it *was* really bad. I'm sure I must have been a sight -- I was completely covered or erupted in hives and swollen past the point of recoginition. I looked like I had been deep-fried. Very traumatic experience.

My doctor almost cried when she diagnosed me. She knew how difficult recovery was going to be.

I had a good outcome, though. I made a full recovery and have no visible scars.

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