Any phobias you overcame to become a nurse?

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I am looking for a little entertainment :D Have any of you had to overcome any phobias to become a nurse?

I am starting the nursing program in January (finally!) and it is hitting me that I am within months of dealing with a...ummm...."minor" case of emetophobia. Okay its not minor, its pretty hard-core. There's the smell, sight, sound, the anticipation that its going to happen. UGH! I take off like a bat out of heck when confronted with it. It goes back to about 3--on a road trip an older cousin covered me in vomit head to toe and we had to pull over and strip me naked on the side of the road. Spent the next few hours naked in the car smelling like a regurgitated Lunchable. Not been a fan ever since.

I know I can get over it because:

1) I am stubborn, and this phobia annoys me--I can't imagine living the rest of my life like this!

2) I have a 3 year old who manages to vomit frequently and it doesnt bother me one bit. Some mothering instinct takes over and I deal with it no problem. On some level I can be okay with it. I just need to find that level when dealing with someone other than my flesh and blood.

Thats my theory anyway...:lol2:

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

OK, I admit it...I have a phobia. I am-how shall we say-methane challenged. I have a fear of someone taking a whiff of my not so tactfully gaseous seepage.

There is a reason for this phobia. One day, I was doing an ex-lap with a surgeon, a resident and a med student (this is not a joke, I promise). The surgeon is dissecting down and running the bowel. All of a sudden, he smells poop. He starts cussing, getting mad and trying to figure out how in the heck the resident nicked the bowel. The resident and the surgeon get into a heated argument, because neither will admit to putting a hole in the bowel, despite the lingering odor permeating the air. The little tiny med student finally speaks up, "Um, Dr. X I think that I can put this issue to rest. I passed some gas. I am so sorry. I won't do it again." The surgeon and the resident have to put their instruments down because they were laughing so hard. This poor med student turned 15 shades of red, but was commended for her honesty.

So my phobia is farting during an ex-lap. I have learned to wait for the bovie to be in use, because it has the same effect as lighting a match after dropping a deuce.

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OK, I admit it...I have a phobia. I am-how shall we say-methane challenged. I have a fear of someone taking a whiff of my not so tactfully gaseous seepage.

There is a reason for this phobia. One day, I was doing an ex-lap with a surgeon, a resident and a med student (this is not a joke, I promise). The surgeon is dissecting down and running the bowel. All of a sudden, he smells poop. He starts cussing, getting mad and trying to figure out how in the heck the resident nicked the bowel. The resident and the surgeon get into a heated argument, because neither will admit to putting a hole in the bowel, despite the lingering odor permeating the air. The little tiny med student finally speaks up, "Um, Dr. X I think that I can put this issue to rest. I passed some gas. I am so sorry. I won't do it again." The surgeon and the resident have to put their instruments down because they were laughing so hard. This poor med student turned 15 shades of red, but was commended for her honesty.

So my phobia is farting during an ex-lap. I have learned to wait for the bovie to be in use, because it has the same effect as lighting a match after dropping a deuce.

:yeah::yeah::yeah::bow::yelclap::smackingf:hpygrp::dncgbby::pntlft::anbd::cheers::jester:

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OK, I admit it...I have a phobia. I am-how shall we say-methane challenged. I have a fear of someone taking a whiff of my not so tactfully gaseous seepage.

There is a reason for this phobia. One day, I was doing an ex-lap with a surgeon, a resident and a med student (this is not a joke, I promise). The surgeon is dissecting down and running the bowel. All of a sudden, he smells poop. He starts cussing, getting mad and trying to figure out how in the heck the resident nicked the bowel. The resident and the surgeon get into a heated argument, because neither will admit to putting a hole in the bowel, despite the lingering odor permeating the air. The little tiny med student finally speaks up, "Um, Dr. X I think that I can put this issue to rest. I passed some gas. I am so sorry. I won't do it again." The surgeon and the resident have to put their instruments down because they were laughing so hard. This poor med student turned 15 shades of red, but was commended for her honesty.

So my phobia is farting during an ex-lap. I have learned to wait for the bovie to be in use, because it has the same effect as lighting a match after dropping a deuce.

OMG!! My face hurts from laughing. There are people I know not to walk behind in the halls on my unit because of "crop dusting." I wish they had your phobia.

Mine is heights, and every time I have to stand on a stool and get something, it's even odds on whether I and the item hit the floor, or I or the item hit the floor.

I have done those stupid things at the fairs and theme parks that launch you and drop you, and I still get lightheaded if I get more than 6 inches off the ground. Luckily, at home, my husband is almost a foot taller than me and can reach things for me. I wish I could pay him to come to work with me.

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OMG!! My face hurts from laughing. There are people I know not to walk behind in the halls on my unit because of "crop dusting." I wish they had your phobia.

Mine is heights, and every time I have to stand on a stool and get something, it's even odds on whether I and the item hit the floor, or I or the item hit the floor.

I have done those stupid things at the fairs and theme parks that launch you and drop you, and I still get lightheaded if I get more than 6 inches off the ground. Luckily, at home, my husband is almost a foot taller than me and can reach things for me. I wish I could pay him to come to work with me.

CROP DUSTING ????

OMG.... that is too funny !! :yeah::eek::D:lol2:

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Oh where do I start. :)

I start clinicals in Oct, so I have alot to learn. There are things I *think* I'll be ok with, and some I *think* will do me in. Guess I'll have to wait and see!! ( I KNOW I'm gonna have trouble with the boogers. The first loogie I see...well I don't wanna even think about it yet.)

But my phobia?? Oh this is killer. Elevators. I am absolutely horrified of elevators. It's not a "oh my God it's gonna fall" thing its a "oh my God I'm in a tiny box that I cannot get out of" thing. And being that clinicals and then the career will probably be in a hospital..well, elevators are just a wee bit unavoidable. Now, when I say phobia I mean PHOBIA. Like, you have got to be dying on the 55th floor before I will even consider getting on one. And even then, would probably consider the stairs! :lol2:

So sad isn't it. And hey, any advice as how to overcome this would be great!

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Oh where do I start. :)

I start clinicals in Oct, so I have alot to learn. There are things I *think* I'll be ok with, and some I *think* will do me in. Guess I'll have to wait and see!! ( I KNOW I'm gonna have trouble with the boogers. The first loogie I see...well I don't wanna even think about it yet.)

But my phobia?? Oh this is killer. Elevators. I am absolutely horrified of elevators. It's not a "oh my God it's gonna fall" thing its a "oh my God I'm in a tiny box that I cannot get out of" thing. And being that clinicals and then the career will probably be in a hospital..well, elevators are just a wee bit unavoidable. Now, when I say phobia I mean PHOBIA. Like, you have got to be dying on the 55th floor before I will even consider getting on one. And even then, would probably consider the stairs! :lol2:

So sad isn't it. And hey, any advice as how to overcome this would be great!

Just think of it as a vertically equipped MRI :D

Think about climbing palm trees, out in the open, at the beach with the surf slapping the sand....knocking off coconuts when you get to the top.... (yeah, OK, so this is corny).

You can always close your eyes- then just think about being trapped inside your little eyelids, but you do have a way out.... No?

Hmmmm..... the stairs???

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Oh where do I start. :)

I start clinicals in Oct, so I have alot to learn. There are things I *think* I'll be ok with, and some I *think* will do me in. Guess I'll have to wait and see!! ( I KNOW I'm gonna have trouble with the boogers. The first loogie I see...well I don't wanna even think about it yet.)

But my phobia?? Oh this is killer. Elevators. I am absolutely horrified of elevators. It's not a "oh my God it's gonna fall" thing its a "oh my God I'm in a tiny box that I cannot get out of" thing. And being that clinicals and then the career will probably be in a hospital..well, elevators are just a wee bit unavoidable. Now, when I say phobia I mean PHOBIA. Like, you have got to be dying on the 55th floor before I will even consider getting on one. And even then, would probably consider the stairs! :lol2:

So sad isn't it. And hey, any advice as how to overcome this would be great!

I'm with you on the elevators. Way back a decade or so before I worked at my current facility, I got stuck in one of the elevators. Now, I have a small panic attack every time I get in it.

I don't have any good suggestions except ride the elevator by yourself so no one sees you panic. That's what I did until I got to where my panic stopped showing.

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I had puke-o-phobia until I had kids - my son one time barfed sour milk down my hubby's back into his pocket and then the 2nd wave (of waffle and syrup) hit him right across the face - at least my husband could shower - I had to clean the curdles off the floor!

xtxrn - you never heard of crop dusting? thats one of the funnier ones!

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Cowboys and crop dusting. Didnt expect the thread to go this direction....mmmmm....Cowboy's..... :redbeathe....wait, what?

Maybe a good lookin' southern man vomiting wouldn't be so bad. :barf01:

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I had puke-o-phobia until I had kids - my son one time barfed sour milk down my hubby's back into his pocket and then the 2nd wave (of waffle and syrup) hit him right across the face - at least my husband could shower - I had to clean the curdles off the floor!

xtxrn - you never heard of crop dusting? thats one of the funnier ones!

I live a very sheltered life :D

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Cowboys and crop dusting. Didnt expect the thread to go this direction....mmmmm....Cowboy's..... :redbeathe....wait, what?

Maybe a good lookin' southern man vomiting wouldn't be so bad. :barf01:

Yeah...you might want to define your parameters on that one!! :D

Mind you, I've never been married- but saw a few older TX gentlemen... There are a lot of fine looking cowboys (but they don't get sick so much- broken pelvis from falling off of a loose saddle, or a busted leg from jumping off of hay bales, maybe...!!) .... think bisquits and gravy every day of his life, 4 beers after every dinner (minimum), more likely to have a cigarette than a toothpick - or floss- in his mouth (but with only 1/2 of his teeth, that's not a big concern), and dessert with every meal and snack,... never misses a football game (even if you're in labor), will sleep with the dog on the front porch, but rolls over away from you when he gets into bed, chicken fried EVERYTHING (including the bacon- I'm not kidding, they have CF bacon there!!), and his preferred aftershave is the aroma he picks up walking through the kitchen grabbing molecules of last nights' dinner.....Now, these guys are the sweetest patients in the world- but you get to LEAVE them after a set period of time :)

And remember (and this can be endearing- or not) his mama is the first lady in his life. He's almost always a gentleman.... I LOVE TX, and loved my older patients (young ones were usually wusses- man thing). But didn't see any available ones :D

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Specializes in LTC.

My phobia I had to get over was kinda different..I was afraid of talking to people..Like at all. I had to get over it quick! Even the first year of school I would get so anxious when I had to talk to people in my clinical group or my instructors. My voice would be so soft and sometimes I wouldn't get the words out and even if I did they couldn't hear what I said. Eventually I was able to talk to people with out my voice cracking or my face turning blood red. I worked my way up from there and now working as a nurse it's not as big of a deal any more. I have to talk to patients, doctors, families, coworkers..I think the whole phobia stemmed from just never being exposed to much socialization during my life.

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