Saw my first disempaction yesterday!

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I know this is silly, but I saw my first disempaction yesterday and I nearly lost my lunch (well, the little I'd had time to eat before being called away). How do you handle these things? Strangely enough, someone could be ripped open and bleeding to death in front of me and I'm fine, but when it comes to BM and phlegm, I gag instantly! I hope I never have to do a disempaction of my own and never have to suction again! :imbar

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I think after awhile, you just get used to it.

Suctioning a trach still gets to me, though. I don't think I'll ever get used to that.

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I used to work with a nurse that just could not handle suctioning someone, it just would really gag her. I could not stand vomit, if I have to help a patient with that, I need my own pan to be sick in. When this nurse and I worked together, she would help anyone who had to vomit and I would do the suctioning. It worked out wonderfully.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Not much bothers me. I've done more impactions that I care to admit to. But I can get up from lunch, do an impaction, then go back to lunch without a problem. All the while during lunching giving a blow by blow account of the impaction. (If the patient has been on our unit for a while, I get very angry and self-righteous that the patient was allowed to get impacted in the first place.)

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Just remember disimpact others as you would like to be disimpacted yourself.

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NG's...no way can't do it. Barf! I gotta list that in my advance directives...stay away from my nose!

I guess that's another topic...but just had to say that.

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I guess everybody has something that gets to him or her. Me, it's eyeballs-anything stuck in or around them gives me vertigo. Thinking about it it does. Ick.

And don't remind my kids about this but for some very bizarre reason, pulling elbow skin just freaks me out. Glad I don't have to do it as part of any procedure.

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This is gonna sound wierd. I like doing trach care, I guess because I was one of very few people who passed the demonstration the first time in school.

BUT...I absolutely detest the thick crusty/gooey gross phlegm. The suction sound just gets to me every time!

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I'm with you on that cyberkat. Nothing worse than eyes with a whole bunch of crud stuck in the corners. Blech!!!!

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our patients ALL have trach and ALL needed to be suctioned a few times q S. working in a subacute unit, it's really very important that every output they do, i know. so you see, nothing bothers me much....except when it comes to my son.

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Originally posted by cyberkat

I guess everybody has something that gets to him or her. Me, it's eyeballs-anything stuck in or around them gives me vertigo. Thinking about it it does. Ick.

I can suction...no problem. Worked 4 years with vented/trached pts.

Just keep the eyeballs away from me...especially the prostetic (sp?) ones.:eek:

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

I just got used to it I guess.

renerian

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