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:

I agree completely. All my life I've been the one that was very secluded and VERY shy. Some people have gotten offended by it, but I honestly mean nothing by it. I just like doing things on my own. Nursing school has helped me to become more open to meeting new people and speaking up. In high school I didn't DARE speak up in class, I was terrified. Now i always surprise myself when we discuss our clinical schedules that I'll speak up and say how I feel :)

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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:

This is me too!! I'm the one you'll see running out of the house if I even know someone is going to barf, or plug my ears and turn up the tv so I don't have to hear it. I used to begin to feel sick myself if i even knew someone felt like they were going to puke, coudnt watch it on tv either. I can say that after raising kids and going through nursing school, it has gotten a little easier to handle; my empathy kicks in and I feel bad for whoever is getting sick. Now mind you, I didn't see much of it during NS clinicals or my job as a PCA, but I saw enough to begin to help me handle it and what's to come as I journey through nursing...I hope!

My phobia is so bad I've managed to keep even myself from vomiting for the last 20 years (no joke!) even during my 3 pregnancies and births (gagging during pregnancies, yes). I loathe feeling nauseated and will do just about anything to prevent myself from throwing up-peppermints in the mouth, peppermint gum, peppermint oil under the nose, fresh air outside, Ginger ale sipping, reading, watching tv, etc! You know those people that say they would rather just puke and be done with it so they'll "feel better"? Ha, that's NOT me. As agonizing as it is to feel nauseous, I'd rather go through that than have to puke once! LOL. My husband is like me in the sense that he hates to barf too, uses extreme willpower to keep himself from barfing and hasn't since he was like 8 or 9 yrs old (and he's in his 40's). We've been together 18 yrs and I can honestly say neither one of us has seen the other barf! LOL. He's not as extreme with the tactics to prevent it as I am (why I say it's sheer willpower for him) and when he feels nauseated, he'll eat something to make him feel better. Ewes, not me (shudder)!

I think this phobia does come from what happens in childhood. I never had someone vomit all over me like you did-omg you poor thing. That would have traumatized me for life for sure! However, I can remember as a child a few times when I did vomit and the act itself made me EXTREMELY emotionally upset-crying, shaking, etc...my poor mom would feel so bad for me and tell me it was ok and not my fault as she was gagging and cleaning it up. I had a hard time with my own kids once they were old enough to actually vomit food-baby barf doesn't bother me a bit. Hubby was always the one to have to clean it up, although I could clean my kids up no problem. I couldn't wait for the days when they could tell me they were going to barf-there I was, garbage can in hand! As they got older it was easier for me to rub their back or hold back their hair whilst vomiting and again, I think nursing school and just the whole medical environment has helped me with that (not to mention the endless gross videos you see on tv where people are puking during weddings, tv interviews, etc-gosh, why must our nation be so obsessed with such gross stuff!!) unfortunately, my dd has this same phobia and while it hasn't paralyzed her, we have had some long nights sitting up trying to calm her fear of getting sick when she feels sick (hereditary or not? My brother's daughter went through this same phobia my dd is going through, for quite some time when she was a tween like my dd is).

It's actually quite comical to me when I think about it and have often wondered how a therapist would help me get over this phobia. You know the exposure therapy they do out there to help people get over their fear of snakes or spiders-make the person look at them, touch them, etc? Ummm, would they make me watch people barf? Nope, would not be a fan! LOL. Anyway, with all that being said, I think it's getting easier for me and lots of nurses have told me it gets easier with time, usually all nurses have something they have to get over and, you just will, as time in your job goes by. I'm thankful for that!:yeah:

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Hahaha! I'm so glad to see I'm not the only person terrified of vomit! I'm only about 2 weeks into my PCA job, and haven't seen any yet, but I am just waiting to. When someone calls to say they are nauseated, I get a bit faint hoping they don't barf. Yesterday I got a lightheaded pt up in bed and I was standing in front of her when she belched. Lord, I thought she was going to vomit all over me, my eyes got real huge, and I tried to step to the side to give her a clear space hahaha. But she just had some belly bubbles to get up, no liquid :)

I guess it's only a matter of time, though... I better start getting used to the thought of it!

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: That made me literally LOL!

That is so me in the clinical setting while I was a PCA!! I've done the same thing! I imagine I'll still do it while nursing too, at least for awhile. And I dread the day I have to pour and measure someones stomach contents. UGH!! The blue barf bags are a little better i guess but why dont they have measurements on the bag?!? I dont wanna pour it! :crying2: Those little kidney emesis basins are for spittle for cryin' out loud, or soaking dentures or what old men like to use them for-nasty huge loogeys! And putting a paper towel in the bottom of it first does NOT help! Blech! I guess you can say snot and anything related to suctioning out that nasty stuff would drive me over the edge too!

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blood & guts

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Isn't it great that we all tolerate different things, and can help each other out at work !! :D Though it seems there could be a mass exodus with the puking...leaving patients to fend for themselves.....self-serve Zofran dispensers! :D

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Isn't it great that we all tolerate different things, and can help each other out at work !! :D Though it seems there could be a mass exodus with the puking...leaving patients to fend for themselves.....self-serve Zofran dispensers! :D

Now THAT'S an idea!:D

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The phone.

I hate talking on the phone and would avoid it like the plague.

I started forcing myself to answer the phone at work.

Making a fool of myself.

I will continue to do it, as we all will, so I had to force myself to stop worrying about it.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Case Manager.

one of my phobias that i had as a student nurse and as an rn was inserting and removing a foley catheter from a male patient. :o

i'll get back to you if i can think of any more.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

If I ever become an OR nurse which I am interested, I will have to overcome my bone procedures fear. Other than that, no, not yet.

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If I ever become an OR nurse which I am interested, I will have to overcome my bone procedures fear. Other than that, no, not yet.

Yeah, bone noise is a bad one. Nearly passed out during bone marrow bxs during school....I've had 4 during the past 1 1/2 years- they're not so bad when lying flat on a bed :D

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