[1jazzynurse]

Hello. i am less than 1 year from finishing nursing school. i would like to know if i'm the only one who can deal with anything but vomit! i haven't had to clean up a big mess yet but i'm not sure how i would handle that. I would be gagging all over the place. anybody else in my shoes? how can i get over this?

[Bella Donna]

You are not alone! Trust me.

[Jen1228]

I definitely agree! I can handle just about any nasty thing you can think of, but vomit makes me gag! Even chewing with your mouth open grosses me out. I have heard many other nurses say the same thing.

[earle58]

when i was in nsg school, i truly never thought i could handle certain tasks.
but when the time comes, you just buck up and do it.
mouth-breathing also helped.
there are always parts of nsg when one needs to be strong.
just consider vomiting, one of these parts.
you'll do fine, i'm sure.

leslie

[MAISY, RN-ER]

Nothing usually bothers me, but even I get that "feeling" sometimes. I work with several people that use essential oils on cotton balls, or even wear masks when cleaning patients using the possible contamination excuse. Some of these same people place oils on masks.
Burn unit also uses different essences on their masks to block bad odors when they are debriding.
Our housekeeping has an odor neutrilizer spray, maybe you could get something like that.
Don't worry, we all have some type of achilles heel. (Mine is the sound of suctioning, YUCK!)
Maisy

[sunnydaydream]

Seriously *cannot* deal with vomit but do if I have to. I'm cleaning and dry heaving with it all the time!!! Your *not* alone!!!

[BSNDec06]

I had to leave the room once as a student and ended up asking the physical therapist hold the puke bucket for my patient. I seriously thought I was going to throw up too! It was really gross!

[Cindy1008RN]

Once upon a time, LOL.......it used to bother me. When I was young, I would shake like a leaf and felt like I was going to join the puking I don't know what happened....I guess having five kids. It is still nasty, and makes my stomach flip flop, but I usually turn that emotion into concern for their discomfort. Being a OB/GYN nurse, we see our fair share of hyper emesis patients. My mother could not understand how someone so grossed out by vomit could go into nursing...


I am sure there are circumstances like those mentioned above where I would not be able to handle the vomiting. ie. burn debridement, etc.

That is why I often say....it takes a special kind of person for EVERY area for nursing.

[SoulShine75]

I'm with ya, it's my one big phobia. I don't know how I will ever get over this, except that I have had to deal with this a lot during clinical and I guess I was too concerned about the pt's at the time to really think of the vomit part. You will overcome this because it will be part of your job, however...it still grosses me out and I still want to run for the door if I see it, but I don't make a face and I don't run. I just hold my breath, offer to get a wash cloth and try not to look directly at it.

[confused101]

I can't do the dry heaving thing. I only puked once and it was when I was cleaning up stool in a bedpan. It was just noxious. I have a hard time with smells. Like dishes that have sat for awhile. I smell them and then go throw up. There is sometimes that my husband has to do it. Yes, I know do the dishes as they are dirty, but oh well. The sunction is one of the worst too. This is why I can't do ICU. My whole ICU experience in nursing school was one hand sunctioning and turning my head. Oh, the whole coughing up stuff too. Just the sound. It only gets better!