Fear of Needles

[Sara723]

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on this. I really want to be a nurse, but I have a strong dislike of needles. I have panic attacks every time I need to get a shot anywhere. Do you think that I should keep going for nursing and that it will help cure my fear, or should I move to another career field?

EDIT: I read some other threads on the same problem, and they've helped reassure me :]

[ruralgirl08]

Hi,

I used to have a strong fear of needles as a kid, and I disliked them very much as a teen, but can manage them as an adult. I actually think nursing helped me get over this irrational fear. It really doesn't hurt as much as you work it up to be, and it has to be done. I realized for me, it wasn't so much the needle prick, it was the "injection feeling" that really bothered me. So I try to give my patients the best needle experience possible. If the pt. is anxious I usually talk them through it, saying "ready," then count down to three, a quick entry, a slower push, and a quick exit. I usually talk to them about other things, non medical related for distraction. I find it seems to work well, and with anticoagulants subcutaneous injections it usually causes less bruising that way to. I really empathize every time I have to do it, but that's just me:)