Area of nursing with the least amount of vomit?

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jan 24, 2015

Well said.
Is your aversion to vomit something you are willing to ensure as a student nurse-IF that happens?

I meant endure...

TriciaJ, RN · Jan 24, 2015

Coroner's forensic nurse investigator . Dead people don't vomit.

But you might.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jan 24, 2015

But you might.

There may not be active vomiting but there are other bodily fluids that may or may not ooze out...and depending on the level of decomposition you may need to invest in a lot of Vick's Vapor Rub...

Mom2boysRN · Jan 25, 2015

Vomit is also my weakness. I'm a sympathy puker too. Don't worry too much about it, it will happen, but probably not as often as it seems you are thinking.

CelticGoddess, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2015

Coroner's forensic nurse investigator . Dead people don't vomit.

I wish that were true. We had a pt who died with a total bowel obstruction. We had to clean her multiple times before we could bag her. So did the mortuary staff. Dead people can vomit.

No Stars In My Eyes · Jan 25, 2015

All I can think of is desensitization training, like for people freaked about elevators, flying, etc. I don't know if an automatic sympathetic visceral response can be 'trained', by repetitive exposure, out of you! What a classroom that would be: people with earphones on, retching repeatedly, praying to get to the point they don't even think about it anymore.

All I know is that I was lucky enough to be the only kid of four who did NOT suffer carsickness, I am blessed by the ability to be unmoved by urping.

But, you know, if it were me, I'f give hypnosis a try! It at least might help dial it down for you on the rare occasion it might occur in your presence.

Beautiful_Soul · Jan 25, 2015

I took a minute to read back through some of your past posts, and it really seems that you are focusing WAY WAY too much on the topic of vomit. I mean....way too much.
Yes, vomit happens. Yes, you will encounter it throughout nursing school. But you will find a way past that, or you won't get THROUGH nursing school! I'm not saying you have to like it (honestly, who does??) but you seem to be asking many questions about where people don't want to work, how to not work in certain areas, etc etc.....and I think you're selling yourself short.
You won't get to work in the areas you want to work in unless you get through school first. And once you GET through school, and gain some experience (perhaps...probably actually....in an area you aren't crazy about), you will then be eligible to go for a job you really DO want. Better than focusing on what you DON'T want, know what I mean?
Right now: school. And whatever comes with it. And afterward.....a job, any job you can get, that gets you closer to what your goals are at that time (and don't be surprised if that goal shifts! Pretty common occurrence) .
Hang in there....everyone has something they would rather not deal with. In that you are definitely not alone :)

Hey, I love grumpy cat! Hahahaha!!

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jan 25, 2015

I wish that were true. We had a pt who died with a total bowel obstruction. We had to clean her multiple times before we could bag her. So did the mortuary staff. Dead people can vomit.

Been there done that.....using vomiting in the physiological sense :) the brain is dead so the vomiting mechanism is gone that's not to say the laws of physics (liquids will move at the path of least resistance from an area of high pressure to low pressure) die with the patient. Think post-CPR with bloated abdomen....all that air and stomach contents have to go somewhere so don't stand near the mouth or ET tube that was placed erroneously into the stomach..........

Actually I was thinking of the nurse death/forensic investigator (not a common position but one that does in fact exist)...not always at the scene or needed in the autopsy suite but may do the medical records evaluation, background investigation, interviews of family, medical staff, witnesses to assist the coroner to determine cause and manner of death if not blatantly obvious (such as witnessed short range gun fire to the head).

I'm doomed to deal with GI issues for the rest of my professional life, upper and lower, between my own child and the unique mix of complex pediatric patients I've been working with, I think I'm approaching tens of thousands for the number of times I've been vomited on as a nurse and mother.

So I would say if vomit/emesis is your downfall stay out of the ED, acute intoxication recovery, college health unit, medically complex pediatrics with GI issues (PDN), NICU, PICU, endoscopy units, GI units, surgical units (post anesthesia can make a lot of patients nauseated), obstetrics, L&D, OB./GYN clinics (thinking hyperemesis gravidum patients), oncology, chemotherapy units, child care, school nursing, camp nursing...

I still like coroner's forensic nurse investigator... and now I will stop typing as I'm overtired.

CelticGoddess, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2015

Avoid Onc at all cost also. I work it (love it) and vomit is NOT my strong point. I can handle trach care, mucus, and the worst wounds anyone can think of (outside of burns). However, I have found that if I focus on my patients needs, I am able to function until I leave the room. Then I gag.

LilRedRN1973 · Jan 25, 2015

I am a community puker. If I see or hear someone vomiting, I gag and heave. Which is bad enough in itself but after having my son....let's just say I could use a good pair of Depends during those times. Gah. BUT, that being said, I will stay there and help the patient, clean up, etc. I might be gagging/heaving but I don't shirk my nursing responsibilities. My gag reflex is so bad, I can't even deal with it at home without all the heaving. Cats, dogs, kids. It doesn't matter. I've been known (at home!) to cover up the vomit until I can get myself under control. It's a very visceral reaction; I don't mind cleaning it up but I hate the reaction my body decides to have. And I hate wetting my pants. Damn kids! LOL

ShelbyaStar · Jan 25, 2015

I have some sympathy as I used to be pretty emetophobic as well, and that kept me away from nursing for a long time. There was a time when reading this thread would've been difficult. Knowing someone can get sick still gives me anxiety but I've gotten it under control enough to now be a nursing student, and have worked at a group home where there's been a couple incidents that I handled well enough.

I'm sure there will be an embarrassing incident or two in my future, but oh well. I would like to be a school nurse but I'm sure that involves a lot of puking. We'll see. If I'm not acclimated enough by then I'll probably try to aim for psych or something like that. If that doesn't work out and I do have to deal with it, I'll survive.

It sounds like it's pretty severe for you. Maybe some therapy is in order. I didn't go that far but I think it did help that I realized where my phobia stemmed from. As unpleasant as it was it also helped that I've gotten sick a few times the last couple years and it helped remove some of the fear. I cannot let myself throw up, I have to be extremely sick to do so, so previous to that I hadn't thrown up in decades. Crossing the threshold helped me see my fear was mostly irrational.

At least it's easier to clean up than a brief blowout...

TexasBlaze · Jan 25, 2015

Perhaps a career as a physical or respiratory therapist may be more in line for you? I remember taking a meal break with a respiratory therapist many years ago, since I had issues with doing deep suctioning as a student nurse. We were comparing vocations and the conversation went something like this:

"How do you handle it when a patient has a lot of mucus and you're suctioning? It makes me sick. I would have a hard time being a respiratory therapist. Why didn't you become a nurse?"

He grinned and replied, "Well, because I don't want your job. You guys have to clean up the patients. Think of it this way: Mucus is 90% water. Sheet is 90% sheet." [Per terms of service, I am not using profanity, but I am not referencing linens, either. :) ]

Put everything in a new perspective.