I am looking for a little entertainment 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.
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.
I hear ya :) My instructor would physically push me into the room and say "You HAVE to talk to them".... being a CNA helped a lot.
I never really had a phobia... but I still don't like hearing, smelling, or seeing someone vomit....but I can deal with it. everything else is fine. lol
Specializes in Delivering Quality Patient Care :).
Well, thank you for sharing - LOL
I have a general rule about anything with more than 4 legs....whack it first, and figure it out later!!
In TX, I flicked more than one tarantula off of the screens in the LTC rooms, sending them sailing off for some patch of ground... blechhhh :)
:eek:What part of Texas are the tarantulas in? If I saw one, I would drop dead instantly from a heart attack. I still scream when I see the cell phone commercial about the woman screaming in the restaurant when she sees a picture of a the spider on the phone.
:eek:What part of Texas are the tarantulas in? If I saw one, I would drop dead instantly from a heart attack. I still scream when I see the cell phone commercial about the woman screaming in the restaurant when she sees a picture of a the spider on the phone.
The place is lousy with them!!!
I detest large spiders (I've gotten to the point of being able to dispatch of the smaller ones). But, I was able to deal with them on the other side of a screen (window or door). A good flick, and they were airborne :) The water bugs (cockroaches the size of VW bugs) actually annoyed me more, because they will chase you !! I met my first one a a bus stop, and literally walked backwards for a half a block while the stupid (??) thing charged me.... Bugs have a union in TX. Exterminators are only allowed to come once a month.
And if you refuse the exterminator at apt complexes, and the neighbors end up with bugs, you have to pay for everybody to get gassed again....
I am looking for a little entertainment Have any of you had to overcome any phobias to become a nurse?
That was me over a decade ago when I was in nursing school! If my patient even said he/she was nauseous I was out the door. That and NG tubes. I would delegate the task of putting one in for about a year after I graduated because it reminded me of my father when he was ailing and had one.
But now, seven years later, I don't even bat an eyelash at either. I just told myself that it's something I need to get over, in order to give quality care. That, and cleaning up puke sucks so I would rather hang out with a basin ready to catch it!
It does take time, but you will learn to not be so grossed out.
I am looking for a little entertainment Have any of you had to overcome any phobias to become a nurse?
That was me over a decade ago when I was in nursing school! If my patient even said he/she was nauseous I was out the door. That and NG tubes. I would delegate the task of putting one in for about a year after I graduated because it reminded me of my father when he was ailing and had one.
But now, seven years later, I don't even bat an eyelash at either. I just told myself that it's something I need to get over, in order to give quality care. That, and cleaning up puke sucks so I would rather hang out with a basin ready to catch it!
It does take time, but you will learn to not be so grossed out.
I always looked at NGs as puke vacuums, so I learned to like them rather quickly !!
In nursing school the first time I had to touch one I was green and nauseous all day (even failed my skills test!).Diligence and exposure got me thru it.
Had a blood draw, tb test and a TDaP the other day...no prob! (thank goodness!)...
It really does get easier, but throat goobers are ALWAYS going to nasty as all get out!!!
In nursing school the first time I had to touch one I was green and nauseous all day (even failed my skills test!).Diligence and exposure got me thru it.
Had a blood draw, tb test and a TDaP the other day...no prob! (thank goodness!)...
It really does get easier, but throat goobers are ALWAYS going to nasty as all get out!!!
Yeah, and when they fly out and literally hit the wall (and stick there like lumpy spackle (?sp) it's disgusting to have to go and scrape it off....
Have any of you had to overcome any phobias to become a nurse? 
xtxrn, ASN, RN
4,267 Posts
I hear ya :) My instructor would physically push me into the room and say "You HAVE to talk to them".... being a CNA helped a lot.