Yikes!!! Tense moment in micro today!!!

Nursing Students General Students

Published

OMG!!! I almost had a heart attack in microbiology lab today. My professor paired me up with someone in the class that is having a rough time in lab, he just can't get the method down for taking specimin samples and applying it to slides. Anywho, my professor thought I could help him out. So, I went through the whole process of getting the specimin from the vile and showed him how to "cook" it on the slide, stain it, ect., then I said, "okay, now you try". :) Well, right away I could see we were heading for trouble. The poor man, he's trying real hard, but he's so nervous handling the bacteria. So, within seconds, he opened the vile of staphylococcus bacteria and :eek: he drops it. Active staphylococcus bacteria everywhere. :chair: Nothing got on me or my books but his books (which I had told him repeatedly should not be up on the lab table), himself and the table were covered. :uhoh21: What a mess!!! My professor wasn't too happy about it. I didn't get into trouble, but, I felt bad for my classmate. The professor really gave it to him. It was truly an accident. But, thankfully, we both had on our protective gear and we got it all cleaned up, so, no harm done. Well, as least for me, I didn't get any on me, I hope my classmate doesn't come down with anything. But, we had a crash course in lab emergencies. What a disaster!!! So, next week, I get to teach this classmate again, except this time, with just plain water. I think that's the smarter route. Just thought I'd share. Who else has some good lab stories??

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I dropped a vial to in micro (don't remember what it was) It was no big deal I dropped it on the floor. My instructor cleaned it up. One time I had a lab partner who decided to put the water in the petri dish instead of the slide! I almost flipped out becasue I was afraid I was going to have to wait another couple of days to redo the experiment because she messed it up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

We had several minor accidents like that but in general, most of the things we were working with were non-pathogenic in an otherwise healthy adult (Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.) E. coli was the only one that had a decent chance of causing disease. I pity the poor guy who spilled it on his lab manual ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

The teacher should not have given him a hard time for an accident. I can relate because I was born to be a clutz. I still am a clutz.

Staph already is everywhere, on our skin, clothes and books.

It's great that your so understanding. I'm sure it means a lot to him.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yeah, I did feel pretty bad for the poor man. He's in his 50's and trying to get through all the pre-req's to get into nursing school. He was a computer wiz guy and got laid off, and all this is foreign to him. Like someone said, staph is everywhere so I know even with getting it on him, he's not going to really get anything, but it was all over his books and we had to totally drench his books with the sanitizer and he was so worried about taking the books home. I think he threw his books away and went to buy another set right after class. I had two thoughts after that, "wow, he's not giving up, he's buying new books so he's sticking with it, awesome", and then, "wow, he's throwing a $160.00 micro text book away and a $50.00 lab manual away". Funny, someone mentioned about E.coli, well, that's why I almost had a heart attack today. Because that was one of the bacterias we were working with and I thought that was the vile he picked up. I was relieved when I saw it was staph. I actually got a call from him tonight after I posted this initially. He was all apologies and felt so bad about today. I was like, don't worry about it at all. It happens. I think what made him feel better was when I said, "hey, I'm sure our professor dropped many viles of stuff when he was in school and I bet he still does it today, we all human and no one is perfect, we all have accidents and make mistakes". So, he's coming over this weekend and we're going to create a "mock" lab setting the best we can so I can show him in a more relaxed setting how all the procedures go. I wonder if the school will give me a few clean viles and a couple of unused loops. I think I'll check that tomorrow. Anywho, I want to see this man succeed in this class, and most of all, I want to help him show this professor he can do this. He's such a nice man and he's trying so hard. I just felt so bad for him. So, I'm going to be the happy tutor this weekend. Wish me luck!!! :chuckle

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
So, I'm going to be the happy tutor this weekend. Wish me luck!!! :chuckle

:yeah: :yelclap: That's very nice of you to take that attitude. Good luck and good luck to him!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment