Can I do it?

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Today for the first time I was at work and saw a nurse put in an IV, I was fine until she began cleaning up the blood and covering it up with the clear tape. Then I became very light headed and had to quickly excuse myself from the room. I didn't pass out but did not feel up to par for at least a half hour. Apparently I was very pale, and I felt incredibly hot and sweaty.

It scares me because I just finished my first semester of nursing school. I don't know if I can handle it or not and I would rather not have to wait until I'm in my 3rd semester to really know if I can or cannot handle it. Any tips advice? Or should I start looking at a new major.

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let's see i was very ill after cleaning my first bm, i didn't think i'd ever get that smell out of my nose. i can't watch needles go in my own arm to do a blood draw. placenta was gross like liver when my instructor dissected one, but the fresh one wasn't bad. i even went to lunch afterwards.

was it nervousness and excitement or just seeing blood? if it's the first time you saw it, you may just get over it with more practice and being around it like i did.

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You'll be fine! I had a similar incident as a nursing assistant.

When I was first learning to draw blood, I thought I was fine. Then one day I was shadowing a coworker who started "digging" around in an elderly man's arm for a vein and I could feel my legs going limp and my vision became clouded. Haha. The nurses rushed over, sat me down, took my vitals and made me drink orange juice. They made me go to the ER because my blood pressure was pretty low after. My blood pressure was back to normal by the time I got to the ER and walked back up to my unit. I was fine.

In my case I think it was because I was a little dehydrated to begin with, but I also notice that when I observe someone doing something to a patient rather than doing it myself, my brain is allowed to run wild and get the best of me. That's all I can really say.. I draw blood multiple times everyday now and feel I do a good job. I have full confidence you'll get over any uneasiness you might have now once you start doing more yourself. When you're doing something for a patient yourself, you'll be focusing so hard on the task itself, knowing it is necessary for your patient's benefit, that you won't have the time to let the unsettling aspects of what you're doing get to you.

Probably doesn't help, but I would say DON'T worry! ;)

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I'm sure you'll get used to you. It's just the 1st time you've been exposed to anything like that. As a CNA you do some pretty yucky stuff then go to lunch, lol....you just get used to things. To the above poster...after I had both my kids, each time I requested to see the placenta, lol. It was cool....and I also compared it to a liver, lol.

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Thank you guys for the encouragement! The guy I'm seeing is in the Army and has been trained in IV's. He reassured me that I can get over it and it's just the first time jitters. Hopefully he is right. Plus he offered his arm for me to practice with anytime I need it! What a guy!

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LOL I'll tell you what. I had a "can I really do this moment" before I even was accepted into the program. And I had been a CNA before and seen pretty much all the really gross stuff. My husband was getting a vasectomy...no blood, nothing gross...and I almost passed out. Oh trust me, I got very concerned about my "nursing wannabe career" right then.

I'm sure most of us have those moments. :D

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"Doing" is definitely different than "watching"..."doing" is a task, with a focus. You won't really be able to think about what you are doing...just the skill steps in your head. You'll be okay I'm sure!:up:

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