Anyone else have this problem?

student_girl · Jun 3, 2005

Don't worry, you're not alone. I used to think that I'd be a big brave girl with bodies, that I wouldn't mind. Then, I started working night shifts as an aid. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Being alone in an elevator with a body on a stretcher is the worst part, but for the bagging (yuck!), you're usually with someone else. It's hard, but it's not the biggest part of the job. Good luck! PM me if you want to talk!:)

Rae_French · Jun 3, 2005

Don't worry, you're not alone. I used to think that I'd be a big brave girl with bodies, that I wouldn't mind. Then, I started working night shifts as an aid. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Being alone in an elevator with a body on a stretcher is the worst part, but for the bagging (yuck!), you're usually with someone else. It's hard, but it's not the biggest part of the job. Good luck! PM me if you want to talk!:)

Thanks for your reply!

I know, it's really a stupid, trivial thing to worry about, but I do! I'm also a little strange, because after I see dead body, I get all grossed out and can't eat for a couple of days, which probably doesn't hurt this big butt. :)

Anyway, I got my Anatomy and Physiology book today, and GROSS, there was all kinds of gross dead kitty pictures. Later, we had beef tips and rice for dinner, and I found it hard to eat.

All I can say is, either I'll get over it, or I'll be the skinniest nurse ever!

Rachel

student4ever · Jun 4, 2005

Thanks for your reply!
I know, it's really a stupid, trivial thing to worry about, but I do! I'm also a little strange, because after I see dead body, I get all grossed out and can't eat for a couple of days, which probably doesn't hurt this big butt. :)
Anyway, I got my Anatomy and Physiology book today, and GROSS, there was all kinds of gross dead kitty pictures. Later, we had beef tips and rice for dinner, and I found it hard to eat.
All I can say is, either I'll get over it, or I'll be the skinniest nurse ever!
Rachel

LOL, you'll get over it, or you won't make it! Not trying to be harsh here, please understand that! Fortunately dead bodies, blood, puke, poop... none of it bothers me. But the one stupid thing that gets me is seeing a code being worked. I work in the ED, and when they bring a code in, they have the pt strapped to a back board, all clothes cut off and hanging off the stretcher, the pt is buck naked, all the jiggly parts are wobbling from the compressions, and they're making that awful agonal resps sound - and I can't quit staring! I don't know what's wrong with me! I don't know if it's that I haven't seen enough naked pts bodies, or if I'm just fascinated/horrified by the myriad of different ways that people look naked, but just looking at them makes me feel violated, but I can't look away!!! I guess I'll get used to it (21 days and I'm starting as a clinical assistant, so I'm sure I'll see plenty) but I just can't seem to wipe the cheesy embarrased grin off my face, keep from blushing and stammering, and god I don't know what I'll do when some guy whips his blankets off to show me whatever is wrong with his member. AGH!!! Why can't I just be a sympathy barfer like everyone else!

Anywhoo, just saying that you are not alone in having your specific squeamish issues - I think we all do. But I guess once you see more of it, you will become desensitized a bit and be able to get past it to see the more important issue - what do I need to assess and how will I treat this patient to make him/her more comfortable and to treat them? And I guess the fact that you are bothered by dead bodies is good, in that it evokes an emotional response that you can use to help empathize with and interact with the grieving family. When I was working with a family whose mother had just coded in the ER and I was getting information (working in registration until I start this clinical assistant thing), they were understandibly very upset, and because I had just seen their mother a week ago in the ER, I knew what a sweet lady she was. I got tears in my eyes just talking to them, and I told them I was very sorry to have to bother them for the information, because I knew they were shook up, but that it would help the doctors and nurses know how to treat her. I said how sorry I was they were going through this, and that my thoughts and prayers were with them, and that I would check back later. She ended up dying, and after the doctor and nurse coordinator had been in to speak with the family, I went in and simply said that I was soooo sorry, and was there anything I could get them. THe daughter came over and gave me a hug, and said "sweetie, you've already given us the most precious gift - we know that our mother had the best care, because we can tell that you and the rest of the staff cared for her to the best of their ability, and you cared enough to talk to us and let us know what was going on, and that tear you had in your eye earlier showed me that you meant what you said, it wasn't a reheorificed speech." She had me bawling by the end, but it just goes to show that even though you have to be somewhat desensitized about some things to get through the day, your emotions can really make a difference when it comes to the psychological well-being of the family.

Rae_French · Jun 5, 2005

LOL, you'll get over it, or you won't make it! Not trying to be harsh here, please understand that! Fortunately dead bodies, blood, puke, poop... none of it bothers me. But the one stupid thing that gets me is seeing a code being worked. I work in the ED, and when they bring a code in, they have the pt strapped to a back board, all clothes cut off and hanging off the stretcher, the pt is buck naked, all the jiggly parts are wobbling from the compressions, and they're making that awful agonal resps sound - and I can't quit staring! I don't know what's wrong with me! I don't know if it's that I haven't seen enough naked pts bodies, or if I'm just fascinated/horrified by the myriad of different ways that people look naked, but just looking at them makes me feel violated, but I can't look away!!! I guess I'll get used to it (21 days and I'm starting as a clinical assistant, so I'm sure I'll see plenty) but I just can't seem to wipe the cheesy embarrased grin off my face, keep from blushing and stammering, and god I don't know what I'll do when some guy whips his blankets off to show me whatever is wrong with his member. AGH!!! Why can't I just be a sympathy barfer like everyone else!
Anywhoo, just saying that you are not alone in having your specific squeamish issues - I think we all do. But I guess once you see more of it, you will become desensitized a bit and be able to get past it to see the more important issue - what do I need to assess and how will I treat this patient to make him/her more comfortable and to treat them? And I guess the fact that you are bothered by dead bodies is good, in that it evokes an emotional response that you can use to help empathize with and interact with the grieving family. When I was working with a family whose mother had just coded in the ER and I was getting information (working in registration until I start this clinical assistant thing), they were understandibly very upset, and because I had just seen their mother a week ago in the ER, I knew what a sweet lady she was. I got tears in my eyes just talking to them, and I told them I was very sorry to have to bother them for the information, because I knew they were shook up, but that it would help the doctors and nurses know how to treat her. I said how sorry I was they were going through this, and that my thoughts and prayers were with them, and that I would check back later. She ended up dying, and after the doctor and nurse coordinator had been in to speak with the family, I went in and simply said that I was soooo sorry, and was there anything I could get them. THe daughter came over and gave me a hug, and said "sweetie, you've already given us the most precious gift - we know that our mother had the best care, because we can tell that you and the rest of the staff cared for her to the best of their ability, and you cared enough to talk to us and let us know what was going on, and that tear you had in your eye earlier showed me that you meant what you said, it wasn't a reheorificed speech." She had me bawling by the end, but it just goes to show that even though you have to be somewhat desensitized about some things to get through the day, your emotions can really make a difference when it comes to the psychological well-being of the family.

You don't know how much your reply helps me. I'm sure I'll be fine, but every once in a while I need reassurance. And it's silly, I guess, but I always find myself worrying "can I do it?"

I have told myself time and time again that most likely it will be something I become used to. I really don't believe any caring individual can be completly numb to a dead body. Afterall, it's such an unusual state for a live person to see another human in. Does that make any sense?

I can't wait to be a nurse. I look forward to it, but I do have my concerns, as I assume everyone else does. And I can completly sympathize with the jiggly no no part thing. That gives me a weird feeling too. It's like you are an intruder or something.

Well, thanks again for your reply!

Rach

Pharmasuetical · Jun 5, 2005

i'll take as many dead bodies as you can throw at me....just so long as i get accepted into clinicals somewhere! i'm not picky, just let me in! lol!

-Sue

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2005

The only thing that scares me about being a nurse is: seeing sick/dead babies, seeing dead people period :uhoh21: (I'm very afraid of dead bodies, why? I don't know), and I'm a little squimish when it comes to seeing horrific blood and guts.
Do these things scare anybody else out there, or am I unusual? I hope that I can get use to these things once I become a nurse.
Rachel

No, you're not unusual. I've been in nursing for 30 years. I've only seen one dead newborn and it was when I was a supervisor. The baby was stillborn. Very sad situation.

I never had a problem with seeing dead bodies. I finagled my way in to see an embalming at a local funeral home because I wanted to know how it was done. It was an amazing educational experience.

Anyway, when my first patient died on me, I didn't really recognize it. She was very elderly and pale. When she passed on her coloring didn't change that much, at least I didn't think it had. She didn't get cyanotic at all. This was in a nursing home and she was terminal. I tried to find a pulse on her several times and just couldn't believe that she was really gone. She just didn't look like it to me. Now, I can pretty much tell the difference.

For me, the one thing that turns my stomach is pieces of brain tissue on the linens of head trauma patients just coming in to the ER. Makes me instantly nauseated. The way I overcome it is to focus on whatever treatment we are doing and not stare at the brain tissue otherwise I'll be barfing in a corner.

Brotherbob, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2005

Seeing patients die and taking care of them afterwards makes me think about my own vulnerability and the fact that I will die too, but I have come to terms with it.

I allow myself to be sad and grieve a while and then I move on,

When death is seen as a part of life dead bodies are not as scary.

I don´t think keeping things inside is any good, talk to your coworkers, they will understand. It also keeps the bad stuff from coming back to your mind later.

"Can I do it?" is a universal question for nurses. We have all worried about that.

Somehow seeing pain and death makes me live a richer life now. It is so fragile.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2005

It is not stupid to have fears. Everyone has them, only the brave confront them.

foxfire65 · Jun 5, 2005

Hi everybody!
I am so excited about becoming a nurse. I've really enjoyed school so far, and I'm almost 100% sure that I want to be a nurse.
To me, being a nurse has so many advantages; the respect that comes with the career, the knowledge that you acquire, being in the medical field, helping people, etc....
The only thing that scares me about being a nurse is: seeing sick/dead babies, seeing dead people period :uhoh21: (I'm very afraid of dead bodies, why? I don't know), and I'm a little squimish when it comes to seeing horrific blood and guts.
Do these things scare anybody else out there, or am I unusual? I hope that I can get use to these things once I become a nurse.
Rachel

It helps if you think that it is just another phase of life. We will all look like that at the end of the journey. The only thing that ever really made me queasy was the smell of a GI bleed or suctioning out mucous. No matter what that always made me gag and the smell of the GI bleed in a bm, is something you never forget. You will probably get over it the more you see it.

claybob · Nov 1, 2008

they have the pt strapped to a back board, all clothes cut off and hanging off the stretcher, the pt is buck naked, all the jiggly parts are wobbling from the compressions, and they're making that awful agonal resps sound - and I can't quit staring! I don't know what's wrong with me! I don't know if it's that I haven't seen enough naked pts bodies, or if I'm just fascinated/horrified by the myriad of different ways that people look naked, but just looking at them makes me feel violated, but I can't look away!!! I guess I'll get used to it (21 days and I'm starting as a clinical assistant, so I'm sure I'll see plenty) but I just can't seem to wipe the cheesy embarrased grin off my face, keep from blushing and stammering

Boy student4ever, I hope I'm never your patient. I sure wouldn't want you staring at my jiggly parts with a cheesy grin on your face when I'm moaning in agony.

kalley · Nov 1, 2008

You are not alone. Since my younger sister passed 7 years ago I have had serious death issues. I can deal with all of the bodily fluids and guts, but the thought of seeing and touching dead bodies gets me very anxious. I know this is something that I have to overcome in order to make it as a nurse. Eventhough my ultimate goal is as a midwife where death is the exception, not the norm, I know that I may have to deal with it and that I will have to deal with it during nursing school.

My plan of attack is to try to schedule some time at the morgue or at a funeral home before I start clinicals. I hope this helps me deal with my anxieties. For me, putting myself into the situation instead of having it put on me or suprise me helps me to cope better.