Before you became a nurse..

[MimeBox]

Alright, I believe I can handle the event of angry or irritable patients. I think I can eventually get the knack of multitasking and feeling rushed until learning everything all over again after nursing school would be finished buuuut... what stops me completely is(and this is slightly embarrassing)poop, vomit, smells, out of control sores.

Did anyone start nursing not knowing if they could handle these things, or also being freaked out by these things? My friend is a nurse and she works in a nursing home now, but she didn't seem bothered by these things at all so I couldn't really ask her. All I know is for smells she said you're allowed to carry around Vix and put it under your nose for those bizarre smells you're going to encounter. Others I asked had kids and so they were pretty much immune to everything thrown at them. So someone who didn't have kids, perhaps has a queasy stomach to these things make it through and develop an immunity to it all and now enjoy your job?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i have a queasy stomach -- dh and sd can make me gag and heave just by telling me certain stories or recalling movie scenes from monty python (whom i detest, by the way). co-workers used to play "let's make ruby barf" jokes on me all of the time -- although i certainly deserved it as i played my fair share of jokes. somehow, though, someone telling me a disgusting story about sputum is one thing; suctioning out a patient's trach is quite another.

[all_over_again]

It'll be okay. I once had an extremely obese patient with gyn problems come in and we all just took a deep breath before going in the room to care for her. After a minute or two, you get habituated and it doesn't really bother you. If you puke, you puke. Laugh it off and press on. Regards. All Over Again

[swirlything]

You can get used to anything over time.

[LouisVRN, RN]

You really do get used to it. Also, with wounds I still find them disgusting, but when I have to take care of them, its not about my perception of it, its about getting the job done and making the patient feel as comfortable as possible. I almost zone out and focus on the task at hand and making sure I make a clear mental picture so my documentation reflects what I am seeing rather than looking at the overall picture "I have to put my hands in/on/near something disgusting, ew ew ew :barf02:"

[Finally_RN]

Another factor to consider is the difficulty getting a job when you get out. I graduate in May 2010 and I'm still looking for a job in the DFW area. There is a nursing shortage and unfortunately there is also a shortage in graduate jobs as well.

[wannabeagreatRN, BSN, RN]

I know a few of my classmates who had to walk out of certain situations, but overtime they got used to it. One instructor I had in school had a huge problem with sputum, she always told us that every job she worked she tried to find someone else who had an issue with something like poop or vomit. She would trade the task for the other person's task when able so they were both happy.