Don't know if I am cut out for this

Dixiedi · Jul 8, 2004

My niece has an emergency c-section two weeks ago and got an infection and they had to reopen her wound. On Friday, I was there and the nurse came in to clean and repack the wound and I decided since I am going to nursing school in the fall, I will stay and hold her had but also watch the procedure.
I did fine for awhile, the nurse pulled out the old packing, started to clean with perioxide and then with saline solution (I believe that was the other) and then all of a sudden, it hit me. My whole body become very hot and I started to get dizzy. I felt so bad and I had to leave the room. I went outside and had to sit in a wheelchair until I felt better.
Now I have already had my own doubts and then this happened which made me feel even more unsure. Of course, my husband makes a comment about at least now I know (which I don't).
Anyone have similar things happen but continue on with nursing and do ok with it?

You will get better at seeing and doing these kinds of things. It took me years to be able to continue to face the pt when they were spitting. Spitting anything! I couldn't even help a pt brush their teeth. I would trade all kinds of tx with other nurses if they would just go help my bed rest folks brush their teeth. LOL I was so thankful when I left acute care for that reason. On to rehab, LTC, home care (used to only do babies whose mouth care isn't nearly as gross) and other positions where their wee no pts who needed help with their oral care or there were aids to do it.

I couldn't even look in the sink when I spit while brushing my own teeth! It was really bad.

It'll get better.

JimmyMallo · Jul 8, 2004

Don't make a big deal about it because it's not a big deal. The first several times you see something like that your natural reaction is to be nauseated and light headed. The human mind is a wonderful thing, it adapts to whatever surrounding you are in so long as the experience is repeated. The first time I smelled c-Diff I dry heaved and almost passed out, now that smell is a good diagnostic tool and I'm used to it. You will adjust, just understand it's ok to freak out as long as you keep going back, you will become desensitised with time.

barbiedee · Jul 8, 2004

Debi...my sympathies...I had a smiliarly embarrassing incident after I became a nurse....I almost fainted while watching a lab tech try and draw blood on a young gal who was comotose from ETOH. I was a one on one nurse....she was my only patient all night, and this lab procedure had to be done hourly, all night long to check her blood alcohol level. I guess between getting no sleep, working all night, and no food, I was bound for trouble. But I learned...ever time I saw that lab tech coming, I wedged myself between the bed and the wall so I couldn't fall too far if I fainted!:rotfl: ( I had to hold the childs arm in case she came around while the blood was being drawn, otherwise...I would have been outta there!) By the way....with these icky procedures, drsgs, etc., when you do the job yourself, you are so involved you don't get the woozy stomach. (usually)

jschut, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2004

Before I became a nurse, I watched my ex husband get a vasectomy. Had to leave the room...became very queasy.

In nursing school, I would almost faint when I would hear the slurpy, sucky sound of a trach being cleaned out...the mucous and slime would nearly gag me to death...literally.

Now, I can suction with the best, clean and debride wounds without a second glance and pick up things that man (or woman) was never meant to touch without batting an eye.

And you will too....

(but, on the other hand, my teen dd fainted after cutting her hand, and I wanted to call an ambulance cause I was sure she was going into shock...my husband had to help me with that one!) :rotfl:

LouisianaNurse2006 · Jul 8, 2004

THANK You! I am so thankful to you guys for starting this discussion. I, too, get grossed out by certain things, (spit for one), that I am hoping to overcome. I plan to pursue this path, regardless! They will have to kick me out before I give up. I will do my best and if I flunk out, that will be one thing, but I am NOT going to give up because I get grossed out easily. I will either have to get used to it or if I do graduate I will just try to find an area of nursing that I can deal with (like babies).

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Always remember that.

Good Luck (to all of us with weak stomachs),

We will just have to make up our minds that we will have to have the brains, heart, energy, and stomachs for this job!

RNNoMore · Jul 8, 2004

I'm usually absolutely immune to blood, gore, pus etc... but I did suffer a 'reaction' once, at the vets, when the vet decided to manually drain my dog's lymphangiosarcoma lump and blood/lymph suddenly shot out all over the room. I spent the next 30 minutes feeling sick & faint, with the vet-tech handing me cold washcloths to put on the back of my neck. I was wondering why I'd reacted that way, because I'd drained the lump myself several times at home (as per the vets instructions), and was fine about it. Why did I feel bad this time? Thinking about it, I realised that a) I had not eaten yet that day, b) It was a very hot day and I had been struggling to help hold my dog down on the floor while her lump was drained. I had been kneeling/laying on the floor in an awkward position while holding her, and the reaction didn't start until I stood up again. My reaction was not due to me being squeamish, but because my blood sugar was low, I had been too hot, and I had gotten up too suddenly afterwards after being in an awkward position.

Think back on your reaction and see if there were any extraneous circumstances that could have played a part in it. Emotional distress can also be a factor - this was your sister, and you were worried about her, maybe she was in pain? Hospitals are notoriously overheated places, had you eaten?

Give yourself a second chance - don't make any decisions based on this one reaction.

Best wishes, Paint.

totallytheresa · Jul 8, 2004

Another thing is that sometimes we get creeped out watching a procedure, but when we have to actually DO it, it's another thing altogether. You get so focused on what you're doing at the time, that you just do it. (hopefully, me too!!)

studentdeb · Jul 9, 2004

Thanks everyone for all your posts. Looking back on the day, I had not eaten since lunch time and this was at 8:45 p.m. and since it was my niece and she was clearly in pain and squeezing my hand, I have to agree with all of you and it probably was everything combined that made me feel that way.

The first time I ever gave blood, I was sick the same way but as the years went on and I had children, I no longer feel that way when blood is being taken from me. It doesn't even bother me now.

I am pressing forward and it helps so much to hear everyones experiences.

Thanks again

luv2yoga · Jul 10, 2004

I faint when they draw blood if I'm not lieing down. I've been worried about this too, it was one of the 1st things I posted on this site. I got a lot of reassurance, as you have. One thing someone said that helped me was that it's your body's natural reaction - your brain sees blood, injury, and wants to get you in a reclining position where you're safe. If you have enough exposure, you will not have that automatic reaction any more. If you're a mother, think of how gross it was to you to do some of the things you had to do with your baby. I'm thinking of yellow diahhrea (sp?) and some of the snot stuff. I can honestly say that nothing that comes out of my kids gets me even remotely sick now. Just my 2 cents. I'm not going to let this stop me!

Jennerizer, ASN, RN · Jul 11, 2004

Something like that happened years ago when I was trying on a prom dress...lol. Don't worry about it - we all have things that may sometimes get to us. Plus this was your first time seeing something like that...it's normal to be nervous & even nauseous. I hope your niece's health is improving.

ADNCyn · Jul 11, 2004

Best wishes to you!! Hang in there, no one is really count out for a lot of things these days, but they seem to be everywhere you are. Be blessed and see it through, if it's not for you there would be a bigger sign than the one you experienced.