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“You’ll Get Used To The Poop:” Nurse Reveals The Heartbreaking Situations That Actually Make Their Stomach Turn
Whilst the actors, musicians, politicians and sports stars hog most of the world’s attention (and cash), the true heroes of our society work selflessly and quietly in the background, saving lives and performing medical miracles on a daily basis.
Medical staff are criminally overworked and underappreciated for what they do. Can you imagine being faced with human tragedy, day after day? Knowing that sometimes, despite your best efforts, you’re going to have to give the news to a patient’s loved one, the kind of news nobody ever wants to hear? It must take an enormous toll on the mental and emotional health of these incredibly brave and dedicated people, not to mention the physical strain of 14-hour shifts, chronic stress and lack of sleep.
People choose to become nurses not for money or prestige, but because they care about others. Sure, it’s tough, but it can also be immensely rewarding too, nurses make a true difference to the lives of countless human beings. One common reason why some decide that they just can’t go through with it is the ‘icky’ side of nursing; the needles, blood, poo and vomit that is encountered on a daily basis.
Andrea Pellerin, a registered nurse at Covenant HealthCare in Michigan, decided to set the record straight by penning a passionate and eye-opening post about the harsh realities of nursing life, putting the trivialities of bodily fluids into stark perspective.
Andrea’s words, subsequently quoted and shared by fellow nurse Kayla Marie Thomas, struck a chord with hundreds of thousands of people, and has since been shared almost 400k times on Facebook. In a world where fictional things like Avengers and Game of Thrones seem to capture so much of our attention, sometimes we all need a reality check and a reminder of who the true heroes are, don’t we?
“I remember writing the post when I got home from work after resuscitating my first newborn after a delivery,” Andrea told Bored Panda. “I cried all the way home and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I just thought to myself that these are the real moments that turn a nurse’s stomach. I thought back to all the times I was really truly scared for my patients – but nurses are so good at their poker face and trying to be the calm in the storm for their patients that it’s no wonder people think that dealing with vomit is the worst part of our job.”
Image credits: Andrea Pellerin
Andrea is a labor and delivery nurse, bringing new life into the world every single day. She believes that the best part of her job is being a part of the best moments of people’s lives. “You see people both at their strongest and at their most vulnerable and you get to be there to support them through moments they don’t think they can make it through,” she said.
“The most difficult part is that when it’s bad, it’s really bad. People going through a loss, when the outcomes aren’t what we wanted – you do everything you can as a nurse and it can be hard not to take some of that heartbreak home with you. I wouldn’t change it for anything else though – this is where I belong. My heart is with nursing and my passion is with women’s health.”
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Here’s what people had to say about the powerful post
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Herb Eaversmells 5 years ago
Same for EMT/paramedics and other first responders. My father was a firefighter\paramedic for years. He has retired from it years ago, but there are still,some calls he can not shake. He would talk about how his stomach would drop if he saw a carseat, in a car that has been in a wreck. Or coming to a scene where a teenager has died,. He is still haunted by one, where a drunk driver struck a minivan, a 7 year old boy lost his mother, father, and sister instantly. The 7 year old, kept asking my dad why no one else was talking, why was no one else crying?
Hard 2 Guess 5 years ago
I am not the one to be bothered by raid easily but your last sentence is so sad. It's raining in my office now.
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Hans 5 years ago
And then you have entitled people complain because in the emergency room they wait 30 minutes after checking in with a mild fever...actually, nursing, as well as other care professions ought to be met with more respect. And with more respect I do not mean warm words and social media likes, but better working conditions and better payment.
Yvonne Bernal 5 years ago
First responders have ALWAYS been my idea of true heroes... everything from the fireman, nurse, police, etc. I could give a rat's butt as to what Kim Kardashian has done this month.
Herb Eaversmells 5 years ago
Same for EMT/paramedics and other first responders. My father was a firefighter\paramedic for years. He has retired from it years ago, but there are still,some calls he can not shake. He would talk about how his stomach would drop if he saw a carseat, in a car that has been in a wreck. Or coming to a scene where a teenager has died,. He is still haunted by one, where a drunk driver struck a minivan, a 7 year old boy lost his mother, father, and sister instantly. The 7 year old, kept asking my dad why no one else was talking, why was no one else crying?
Hard 2 Guess 5 years ago
I am not the one to be bothered by raid easily but your last sentence is so sad. It's raining in my office now.
Load More Replies... Hans 5 years ago
And then you have entitled people complain because in the emergency room they wait 30 minutes after checking in with a mild fever...actually, nursing, as well as other care professions ought to be met with more respect. And with more respect I do not mean warm words and social media likes, but better working conditions and better payment.
Yvonne Bernal 5 years ago
First responders have ALWAYS been my idea of true heroes... everything from the fireman, nurse, police, etc. I could give a rat's butt as to what Kim Kardashian has done this month.
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