Just had my first day as a nurse, advice needed....

the deftone

This question is really aimed at nurses or people who have experience in this area.....

I just had my first day as a nurse yesterday and to be honest I didnt really enjoy it. Maybe I was being naive but I didnt expect so much poo and pee lol. Cleaning waste off of people all day isnt really what I thought I was signing up for. I asked the nurse I was working under and she said thats pretty much part of the daily job. I am now wondering is it just the ward im on? (lots of older people) or if thats just some thing nurses deal with on a daily basis? If it is im not sure this job is for me... Anyway let me know what you think from your experiences, thanks for any advice

whippet

unless you thought that nursing was akin to being like Grey's Anatomy I don't see how this could surprise you.

You are dealing with sick people, young, old, infirm etc .... this is at the very basic the first thing you would have expected!!

What were your reasons for getting in to Nursing? ... i am assuming it was a desire to help people, which is why many people get in to the profession. Helping the sick and the infirm requires a lot of cleaning up and general things that are just not nice to deal with, that is why they need your help.

the deftone

whippet wrote: »

unless you thought that nursing was akin to being like Grey's Anatomy I don't see how this could surprise you.

You are dealing with sick people, young, old, infirm etc .... this is at the very basic the first thing you would have expected!!

What were your reasons for getting in to Nursing? ... i am assuming it was a desire to help people, which is why many people get in to the profession. Helping the sick and the infirm requires a lot of cleaning up and general things that are just not nice to deal with, that is why they need your help.

Im a guy so iv never seen nor had any interest in Greys Anotomy.

As you say yes the reason I got into nursing was to help people.

The only way I can rationalize what im feeling is to say, the idea of washing patients and cleaning excrement off of patients is ok. The reality of doing it is completely different. Im starting to doubt whether this is for me. Im just not sure I can see myself cleaning waste off of people for the rest of my life.

stargazer 68

the deftone wrote: »

The only way I can rationalize what im feeling is to say, the idea of washing patients and cleaning excrement off of patients is ok. The reality of doing it is completely different. Im starting to doubt whether this is for me. Im just not sure I can see myself cleaning waste off of people for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately OP it comes with the job. Someone has to do it.

road_high

Do nurses not do a lot of placements during their study? I thought that was the whole point of the training, to ground people in the realities of the future job. Sorry OP, i can't see how this was a surprise to you now?
Perhaps in the medium term you could look at going for jobs in other areas of nursing where you get away from this work. Other than that it goes with the territory I would think.

Neyite

There are plenty of areas in nursing where this wont be a big part of your daily routine. I know a nurse who became manager and is now in the Quality side of things. Doubt she has touched a bedpan in a decade or more. You could train in a specialty or go on to lecture if that appeals.

But this is a part of your training, so it's necessary to do it, plus more senior nurses pass the grunt work onto you newbies. And remember, its only day one. Before long you will just get on with it without thinking.

Mr. Loverman

Give it a chance.

What I'm about to say might sound weird, but bear with me...

I spent a month living in the Mongolian desert. This typically meant sleeping on the ground in a traditional Mongolian tent. I'd have some sort of mat under me, but the edge of it would be exposed to the desert.

The first night I woke up to have a pee. I turned on my torch and saw many, really too many, weird looking spiders running away from me and my sleeping bag. Probably about 20 looking creepy things with big legs and some sort of pod on their back.

I got back into bed and forced myself to sleep. I awake covered in bites.

The second night there was some sort of beetle attack as dozens (hundreds?) of beetles jumped from the tent onto my face and sleeping bag. Of course I woke up with fresh bites.

I also witnessed lots of weird looking scorpion things, as well as snakes, lizards and in general thing you don't want to cuddle with.

My point is this:

After one week I didn't care. I adapted. My brain accepted this is the new reality and just got on with things.

I fully expect you will experience something similar. All that human waste you see will just become a part of the job and you won't care anymore.

Mrs OBumble

Which nursing school did you attend?

ElleEm

Was this part of your college work experience, OP?
Like others, I cannot believe that you got through 3/4 years of studying and work placements without having to help people with their toileting.

Healthcare has many different facets, and obviously if you are on a ward with very ill, incapacitated people- you will have to assist them with their toileting. If you are new to the profession, you will be probably down the list in regards to dishing out meds or taking bloods/ giving injections, so you will get the less skilled jobs.

Have you decided on a speciality or what you actually WANT to do in the future? Everyone needs to start somewhere, so continue with the little jobs and become the best you can at those, then your skills and confidence will develop and you may get to experience different parts of the work.

the deftone

Sorry I should have made it clear, im a 1st year student in TCD and this was my first day on placement....

the_syco

the deftone wrote: »

Sorry I should have made it clear, im a 1st year student in TCD and this was my first day on placement....

I wonder what percentage the class size drops after the 1st day, nevermind after the 1st year? IMO, they're showing you what you'll have to deal with at some time of your career.

Inbox

It's your 1st day and your a noob, off course your going to get the **** jobs. Same as nearly any job i would say.

CatEyed92

the deftone wrote: »

This question is really aimed at nurses or people who have experience in this area.....

I just had my first day as a nurse yesterday and to be honest I didnt really enjoy it. Maybe I was being naive but I didnt expect so much poo and pee lol. Cleaning waste off of people all day isnt really what I thought I was signing up for. I asked the nurse I was working under and she said thats pretty much part of the daily job. I am now wondering isO it just the ward im on? (lots of older people) or if thats just some thing nurses deal with on a daily basis? If it is im not sure this job is for me... Anyway let me know what you think from your experiences, thanks for any advice

Hi Op fellow first year nurse here!
First off, I wast to say well done on your first day. Mine was awfully nerve wrecking! I had to do similar to you, getting to grips with the absolute basics! I know how you feel. Everyone's first placement is emotionally, physically and mentally draining. Don't be disheartened op. Our preceptors always say the first year in anything is awful. By next week op you'll be whizzing around the wards no bother and you'll be getting basics down to an art - hygiene, bedmaking, charts ,communication. Honestly, when your patients thank you when they are discharged- its the best feeling in the world - you'll forget about all the newbie jobs you did. One thing I will say is stick to your preceptor like glue because they could allow you to assist with wound care etc. BTW, you know it's OK to say your not comfortable with doing something? If youre uncomfortable with washes or anything else, you say it and you'd rather someone help you. Anyway, by second week you'll do more than that I'm off on my second placement in Feb and can't wait.. stick with it! hope I didn't ramble! ! Pm me if you want. Xx

behan29

I to am a male nurse. I have nursed for nearly 11 years. My advice is to try and find a area you are keen on, ie, ICUs/a&e etc. if you find a area you really enjoy, it ll make life a lot easier. Don't be to downbeat, over a period of time you will expand your basic skills and confidence. Best of luck.

seamus

To a certain extent they're throwing you into this stuff to desensitise you to the crappy aspects of the work. The vast majority of people arriving into nursing have never had to even look at another person's arse, never mind clean it up. You will adjust, and adjust quite quickly. Like beginning any other job, you're being given the simpler stuff, the jobs you can't really get wrong. That doesn't mean the more complicated stuff is even more horrible, just that this stuff doesn't require much more than a bit of elbow grease.

As others note above this is not a "rest of your life" thing. Unless you choose geriatrics or another discipline which deals with the infirm or disabled. It is however impossible to choose a discipline where this isn't a part of the job at some point. A&E, ICU, pediatrics, theatre, etc etc etc, they will all have their vomiting, pissing, ****ting and bleeding patients. And you will have to deal with it. And you will.

Frito

Don't be disheartened OP, it was your first day of placement and thus you will not be exposed to more technical tasks until you have more theory behind you.

You can expect to deal with more bodily emissions throughout your training and career as i) people who are sick need help to keep clean, and ii) performing these tasks help nurses to execute the nursing process and can alert to problems ie constipation, infection, renal failure.

Expect to perform some personal care for people but it's where the job begins, not ends.

WildRosie

OP, don't let your very first experience of nursing put you off. Yes, a lot of what you will be doing for the first while will be be helping patients to meet their hygiene and elimination needs, but you will move on to more advanced things in time. While these tasks may seem boring or gross now, you'll come to realise how important they are. How else will you check a patient's skin integrity? Or perform a faecal occult blood test? Wards with a high number of older people will of course have a lot of this kind of work. But you are helping people and making a difference to their lives when you help them to toilet, or to clean up after an accident. While you may not be curing whatever their ailment is, you are helping them to maintain their dignity and showing them that you care by doing a good job at it. These tasks are also a great way to get to know your patients, gain their trust, give them time to open to you and talk about their problems, ask questions they forgot about when the doctor was around etc.

I am first year student nurse too and also went on my first placement this week. I'm also a healthcare assistant working in a nursing home so am pretty familiar with changing incontience pads and showering and bathing people. At first, I found it hard and a little awkward but you get used to it very very fast. Vomit, blood, faeces, sputum do not bother me. However I will never get used to the smell of concentrated urine, it makes me gag. But I just breathe through my mouth and get on with it. Speak to some of your class mates on different wards and see what their experiences have been like so far.

Please hang in there, you got in to nursing for the right reasons. A lot of people drop out during the first placement for all different reasons. Try to make it to the end of the year before you make a decision. A lot of what we'll do in first year is helping patients with the activities of daily living. These are the most basic of nursing skills and it's important that we learn how to do it correctly. But next year you'll be starting your specialist placements and will get to see and do much more. Hang in there and don't make your decision based on your first week

smilerxxx

Hi op psychiatric nurse on final internship here. First off don't feel so disheartened and think badly of yourself it is a tough profession. But I can honestly say by your next placement you won't even flinch.

We have an ever increasing elderly population and in all areas this will be a basic level of care.
In psychiatry it ranges from children to adults to the older person. Community to acute to long term residential care. In all settings I have to do this. But its a basic level of care that is necessary before it leads more therapeutic interventions. You may not have seen this as a noobie.

You might think oh god is this all I do? No its about providing assistance in ADL's and everything else comes later but I promise it comes.

I am currently in old age psychiatry and unlike acute settings these clients will never leave. I get great job satisfaction helping the men (usually assigned to the males) shower shave picking smart clothes because I'm building a therapeutic relationship just assisting with these tasks. It provides a wealth of information, while I'm doing this I'm assessing mood, any disorders of thoughts or behaviour, urinary o/p bowel commissions. Any compromises in skin integrity.

Now you may be general training but the same applies. Observation observation observation. Furthermore maybe put yourself in his/her position (hopefully it won't happen but chances are we may be elderly residents one day) think of that person as you are right now and how distressing this would be for them. They are just reaching the end of their lives and the joy and reward you get from providing them with care that maintains their dignity to end will stay you forever.

Just to point out I was covered in urine top to toe last week. I just laughed to myself. You couldn't make the stuff up but it just makes the job all the more special.

Larianne

Wait till you have to deal with someone vomitting! That's miles worse than cleaning up poo, imo. Ugh.

I worked as a HCA and you do get used to it. It's only a small portion of nursing care.

During your placements you're going to have to deal with people peeing on you, vomitting on you, trying to hit you, scratch you, bite you, hurl abuse at you, be sexually inappropriate to you. All part of the job.
Good aspects of the job include making a difference in people lives, helping them get better or feel comfortable, to be a listening ear at times, working with families, other healthcare professionals to provide good standard of care to patients.

I think if the job is for you, you will get over the bad stuff. If you can't get over that, then I don't think the job is for you. As a student nurse you'll be doing a lot of clinical hours, so it's not something you'll be able to avoid.

smilerxxx

Larianne wrote: »

Wait till you have to deal with someone vomitting! That's miles worse than cleaning up poo, imo. Ugh.

I worked as a HCA and you do get used to it. It's only a small portion of nursing care.

I'm OK with vomit :-) my Achilles is phlegm. We were having tea one day and it was funny listening to everyone's Achilles. All so different yet you'd never know on the ward.

Oh yes the hitting the scratching the hair pulling can be an eye opener. My first punch in the head almost knocked me out. Cup of tea saves the day :-)