yuckiest things to do

[misty720]

Hey all, I have just got a new job as a cna and start training in 2 weeks. I'm very excited as this is a huge career change for me but I would like to know whats the most gross and yuckiest thing you have seen or had to do? And tips on how to handle it. And also how long did it take for you to get used to it?

Thank in advance

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

I once had a patient with an ileostomy (higher up in the colon = more foul-smelling, liquid stool!). Ileostomies/colostomies/etc do not bother me, but this lady also had a GI bleed on top of it, and once you smell a GI bleed (or c.diff for that matter!) you will never forget it!

This lady had a ton of output as well as gas. Her bag had to be emptied multiple times during the 12hr shift and I dreaded it every time. This was by far the WORST smell I have ever experienced. If you breathed your nose, you would smell it and if you breathed through your mouth, you would taste it! :barf01: And of course I couldn't hold my breath long enough to empty this thing, clean around and it and seal it properly. The unit I used to work on used to be an 80-bed unit but they split it up so now there are 40 beds on each side. The smell would travel all the way down to the other side and an air deodorizer would not help in controlling the smell!!