I fainted today in the ICU!

Students General Students

Published

You are reading page 4 of I fainted today in the ICU!

Bonosgrrl

63 Posts

You are not alone, I think its a pretty common thing to happen. Even though not everyone will admit up to it.

I remember my first job on an Oncology floor, and the smells!!!!! oh my goodness, I could look at anything, but the smells really got to me, I remember feeling woozy on a few occasions in the beginning. but you get used to it, and it doesn't even faze you after awhile!

good luck, hang in there, you will be fine :redbeathe

kookiepumpkin

19 Posts

Specializes in IMC, Tele.

Yes, on my first day of OR observation I nearly passed out too. I felt it coming on when the scalpel cut through the first layer of an abdomen. The preceptor had her eyes on me and guided me to a chair when the color drained out of my face. it happened again when my brother was a pt in ER and had his blood drawn. Since then I had some close calls but was always able to breath through it and look away until it passed.

CuriousMe

2,642 Posts

See, now I'm fine with blood as long as it isn't mine. Watching narly trauma cases....I'm fine, watching in the OR, still fine.

I can't watch them draw blood from me though:uhoh3:

LOL aren't we all just an odd bunch....

I agree with the 1st poster...pretty stupid of your prof to demand you all not pass out, lol. You can't help it! During our 1st clinical last semester, a girl passed out...a few times, lol. But that was the last time. Sometimes once you experience something it doesn't bother you again. I hope this is true for you. Good luck!! :lol2:

Jess1990

19 Posts

I honestly wouldn't worry about it. I fanited in theatre, when i went down to watch one of my patients op's. and just last week I fanited twice, for no apparant reason... and I graduate NS in december... Everyone faints at least once while there on clinicals, so all you can do, is apologise, get right back up and keep on keeping on

Good luck for the rest of your studies =)

xox

Aoretta

15 Posts

Specializes in cardiac/heart failure.

Oh my friend, it happens. It happens. I saw a wound one time...it wasn't the sight that bothered me so much as the smell. It was only my second semester of nursing. He smelled like a moldy side of old meat. The wound nurse and my instructor were in there. I was there and when they pulled the dressings off, I started to feel woozy, and the room started to look and feel "woozy". I said, "Excuse me, I think I need to go out to the nrsg station." My instructor took one look at me and said, "Yeah, I think you do." I do not remember walking to the station. I had some ginger ale and some crackers. It was actually hilarious in hindsight. She said, "You did the right thing....you don't want to pass out in the room."

A few months ago I was in the room with my patient who was a fresh pacer placement. The doctor wanted to change the dressing on his shoulder. There was a first year nursing student in there who wanted to watch the change. The doctor hadn't even taken off the first piece of tape when the nursing student said, "Can I ask you something?" the doctor said "what?" She said, "No, her..." she looked at me. She said, "I can't see you. Do I look ok?" I looked at her and then I noted her eyes..her pupils were really REALLY dilated! I said, "You'll be OK, just go sit down over here; I'll get you something to drink."

So yes, it happens even to the best of us. :)

TerpGal02, ASN

540 Posts

Specializes in Psych.

Awww hon don't worry about it too much. I have had vagal responses on a few occasions after/while being stuck by needles for blood draws/IV/vaxes. I have a SERIOUS needle issue LOL! I haven't fainted yet in clinical (in my first semester) but boy did I feel like I was going to my third clinical day! I and several of my classmates had escorted a pt down to the OR for an I&D of an abscessed decubitous ulcer. Looking at it while I bathed her didn't bother me. It didn't bother me when the surgeon cut her. But when he starting probing the abscess, boy I started to feel a little light headed. Plus I was SO hot in that jumpsuit/hat/mask, that didn't help matters any. I think it was the being hot part that was the worst. I just had to keep reminding myself not to lock my knees. Luckily I was OK, but one of my fellow classmates did have to leave the OR. She had been feeling ill all day and just turned white as a ghost. The OR nurse DID tell us beforehand that if we felt lightheaded, there was no shame in excusing ourselves from the room.

Cuezee2

34 Posts

My nursing professor also gave my class implicit instructions not to pass out! She said it was an embarrassment to her to have to get a call from someone telling her that one of her students passed out! She told us to lay down on the ground if one of us felt like we might go down. I am a second semester junior now, and while I have never passed out, I check in with myself frequently during tough situations (surgeries, vomiting, wounds, etc) and leave the room for some deep breaths if I really need to. Not that the hospital smells all that great for deep breathing, lol, but if you can make it out of the room, you usually feel better. I've been told by several nurses that they would rather have you get up and leave than pass out or throw-up there with the pt. And, it does get easier as you go on...things that once got to me no longer do. Good luck with your program!!

jenin

22 Posts

As a student I was standing in a side room with other students and a tutor, assessing a pt with a brain injury and a tracheostomy. When he coughed the sputum hit the opposite wall :o. It was hot and crowded in there, and with the sights I had to get out of there quick before I hit the floor :uhoh3:

Specializes in ICU, Trauma, ER, Peds, Family Practice.

Fainting. I can see and smell your predictment. There are some smells that are overwhelming and some of those infections, viruses etc can really get to a person. One of the things is the ventilation in the room may need to be looked into. If you fainted can you imagine this patient 's relatives that may come visiting. Most of the veteran nurses are use to the smells but engineering may need to check the system in the room.

ICU can be overwhelming and make sure you do have some protein and some carbs in your system. Maybe go back in small doses if they will allow you to get use to the surroundings. Your nervous system needs to get use to all the sensory input that you experienced all at one time. Take stock of yourself and see what you need in order to make sure that you can perform and learn your duties as a student nurse. I hope they checked your blood sugar & b/p when you saw the doctor after you fainted twice. I am assessing it was too much sensory input for you at one time.

Again you will be facing many more smells. I remember making rounds with the doctors and you can almost know what the results of cultures will be by just the smell of room or the patient.

I wish you luck . Keep a diary of how you feel in different situations. Maybe your sympathetic nervous system is overloaded at different times.

Take Care of yourself your patients need you.

Paddlelady

RNJess10

21 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, OR.

I haven't passed out/fainted, but when I was in my second semester of clinicals, I noticed whenever I dealt with anything blood related (bloody, painful wounds, trying to start an IV and watching the vein blow, etc) I would get dizzy, hot, and nauseous. It helped me to eat in the mornings before clinical, I took hard candy to suck on when I knew I'd be seeing something with blood, and I would make sure to step out early on before it was unbearable. If I did have to step out, I would grab a cup of water, take deep breaths, and sit down. If it was available, I'd get something in my stomach (regular crackers, graham crackers, etc). I was terrified that I would never get past it, but after a while, the sight of blood didn't bother me. I was able to do a preceptorship in the MICU no problem. Don't be too discouraged! Some things take a little while to get used to. :)

mkelly0885

2 Posts

I feel your pain! Im a 1st year nursing student and had no problems with Gritty Grimmy Med Surg floors. But once I did my Maturnity Clinical it all hit me. I was in on a lady partsl Delivery the patient was pushing and after about 20 minutes of holding her leg and helping her push with contractions I started to get lightheaded... I didnt know what to do so I tried to sit down and have someone else in the room help with the pushing. I woke up on the floor! Its so embarrassing!!!! Then the following week I was in the OR watching a tonsillectomy and before they even put in his IV I passed out!!!! Now I'm always paranoid Im going to pass out. Its not that I get grossed out its just a feeling that comes over you that you have NO CONTROL over!!!

Just know that your NOT ALONE!!!! theres other students out there that feel your pain!!

hang in there

+ Add a Comment