I want to be a nurse but I cant get over my fear, please help!!!

cupcake231 · Jan 6, 2011

I started off the same way. Although everyone is different, I got "used to" it. You have to just go in there, know what you need to do, be professional and get it done, and do the best you can to relieve their pain. Just think, you can be the one to help stop their pain! Think of it that way. I hope this helps!

Anne36, LPN · Jan 6, 2011

I understand, I have a similar feeling thinking about it really upsets me. It doesnt deter me from wanting to be a nurse though, it actually makes me feel more excited because then I am hoping I can be an advocate for or help people in pain.

2ndyearstudent, CNA · Jan 6, 2011

It make me feel as if I was going to get sick or something. I really want to be a nurse, but I need to get over this fear. does anyone ever feel like this ? or am I just weird ? please if anyone have any idea, or advice to help me get over this, I really appreciate .

You appear to be having something similar to panic attacks when you perceive someone else is in discomfort. That is certainly something a lot of us struggled with. I don't like seeing anyone in pain either and I really wondered how I would react to being around sick people.

What worked for me was the fact that I had a "job" to do. My role was not to stand there, stare, and ruminate in how much the patient was uncomfortable, my job was to do something about it. If someone needed help going to the bathroom, I did that. Shower? You got it. If they had a sore on their bottom, my job was to make sure they were repositioned so the sore could heal. If they were hungry and could not feed themselves, I fed them. If they were dying and the family needed help taking care of them, I helped take care of them. If they needed further attention, I notified my superiors.

As my skills and education moved on, I could give them pain or sedative medications, I could hang IV antibiotics for their infections, I could administer enemas and suppositories to help them eliminate. I could do a bladder scan to see how they were voiding. I could perform assessments and report the findings. These and so many other interventions are things I can now do instead of focusing on how the experience makes me feel.

The more experience I got, the more I was able to participate in patient care and not worry about my own personal reactions.

A great way to find out if you can do this is to try. I didn't know how I would react to suffering patients until I got a job performing cares before I started nursing school.

Give it a try, there is really no way to tell how anyone is going to react.

dizzyelizzy · Jan 7, 2011

I just was curious as to what your reason to want to be a nurse is? Have you looked into other professions that aren't medical but still deal with helping people?? Also, is it only physical pain, or do you take into account mental pain?

maryukulele · Jan 7, 2011

Have you been able to see needles used in a clinical setting? I'm a senior in high school now going into nursing school next year and I was very afraid of blood and needles but every week I shadow a nurse at a hospital to see what the job is like and I find that I seldom feel upset by needles. I still get sick when I see medical things in movies, but in real life I find that it is not nearly as bad.

I think that before you decide to go to school for nursing or give up, you should take a day to shadow one.

JT0612 · Jan 7, 2011

I just was curious as to what your reason to want to be a nurse is? Have you looked into other professions that aren't medical but still deal with helping people?? Also, is it only physical pain, or do you take into account mental pain?

I just want to help, and comfort people when they needed it. I feel helpless whenever someone is in pain or suffering, and I can't do anything about it. I want to comfort them, make them feel better, or at least help them ease the physical pain. I know it's kind of stupid when Im talking about wanting to help people with their pain and stuff , and in reality whenever I see someone with a nasty cut, or any injury involve with lots of blood or broken bone , I freak out. yeah, it's almost like im having a panic attack whenever that happen. It's just the physical pain of other people that trigger the stupid reaction that I get every single time.

JT0612 · Jan 7, 2011

Have you been able to see needles used in a clinical setting? I'm a senior in high school now going into nursing school next year and I was very afraid of blood and needles but every week I shadow a nurse at a hospital to see what the job is like and I find that I seldom feel upset by needles. I still get sick when I see medical things in movies, but in real life I find that it is not nearly as bad.
I think that before you decide to go to school for nursing or give up, you should take a day to shadow one.

I feel uncomfortable with needle , but I don't freak out when i see someone get vaccinated, so I think I will be ok with it. I tried to expose my self to the " bloody " environment of the dental office several time ( too chicken to try the hospital though:chair:) , and my reaction were the same. I have to leave the room, because it upset my stomach. I felt like I was going to throw up and pass out, and the hot flush and everything . I saw the dentist using the scalpel cutting and cutting into the gum and blood was everywhere in her mouth , and then he used the thing to try to get the tooth out ( I think) , and I have to get out of there before I make a mess. the last time I went to the dentist office to try to get over my fear, I stay for the whole procedure, but I have to look away most of the time. It was like this, I took a glance at what was going on, look away tried to control my breathing and not throw up or pass out for like 10 minutes or so, and then another glance. but by the time I got out of there I felt so drained . that whole day I felt like I got no energy left in me. so shadow a nurse for a day, I don't know what would happen. I really want to get over this fear if it's possible, but the more I talk about it, my dream of becoming a nurse just getting farther and farther.:crying2:

jill1188 · Jan 8, 2011

I think most people can relate to you to some degree! I think you will be able to overcome that fear. I feel like the only way you will know know is to try... :nurse:

Queen Tiye, CNA · Jan 9, 2011

is possible that you can enroll in a phlebotomy or certified nurse assistant course before you begin your pre-nursing courses? it may help to build you confidence.

most people desensitize and are able to perform just fine.

dizzyelizzy · Feb 21, 2011

I just want to help, and comfort people when they needed it. I feel helpless whenever someone is in pain or suffering, and I can't do anything about it. I want to comfort them, make them feel better, or at least help them ease the physical pain. I know it's kind of stupid when Im talking about wanting to help people with their pain and stuff , and in reality whenever I see someone with a nasty cut, or any injury involve with lots of blood or broken bone , I freak out. yeah, it's almost like im having a panic attack whenever that happen. It's just the physical pain of other people that trigger the stupid reaction that I get every single time.

Sorry it's been so long since I've responded!! But I would encourage you to look into social work or maybe something along the lines of counseling? It would probably be a lot more enjoyable for you if you didn't have to deal with the physical pain aspect!!!

Then again, once when I was watching a plastic surgeon work on removing a skin cancer spot I had to leave the room and sit down. He later told me the same thing happened to him when he started and he had gotten ill over the sight... but it eventually faded!! Just have faith and go for your dreams!!!