curious...hemophobia anyone?

danissa, LPN, LVN · May 18, 2006

Hi all, I never had a problem with blood until I was ill myself and had loads of blood tests, which finally diagnosed polycythaemia, thrombocytopenia and thalassemia trait. Since then, I developed an aversion to venepuncture, I JUST CANT DO IT! Bad news for a midwife!!! I have since worked with neonates for the past 4 years, blood collection here is ok with me, as is injections, wounds etc, it just seems to be the physical act of inserting that wide bore needle to obtain adult blood that freaks me out!!! Sad eh!!

mommy2boys · May 18, 2006

I can handle anyone's blood but my dad's or my kids blood. With my kids I hate seeing them hurt, so it breaks my heart to see their blood. With my dad, it just freaks me out. He has been on anticoagulants for so many years (about 20 years), I have it stuck in my head that dad's blood = ER trip to stop the bleeding or long hospital stay. I've had to take him to the doctor so many times because we couldn't get the bleeding to stop, it freaks me out to see a little of his blood. I can't even put a band aid on him.

How sad it this: I can handle my husbands blood or stangers blood, but not my own dad's or kids.

Erin

ZASHAGALKA, RN · May 18, 2006

Nurses are human.....the same things that bother other people will bother us too. i'm ok with blood, but i can't stand the smell of vomit. some stratigically placed altoids and vicks are a life-saver!!!

A bottle of vicks to put a dab up each nostril for certain times and certain smells should be 'standard' equipment for nurses.

I ALWAYS have a jar in my locker. . .

~faith,

Timothy.

melamin · May 19, 2006

I am so glad that you brought this up. I will be starting nursing school in August and am a little concerned about this. I have been known to become queezy at the sight of blood (gashes and gushing blood). I have watched a birth and was completely fine with all of that blood...but there is just something about gashes and large open wounds that make me very faint. I was just hoping that once I got in and started dealing with it on a daily basis I would just get over it.

phew*....i am not alone..

=]

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · May 19, 2006

A bottle of vicks to put a dab up each nostril for certain times and certain smells should be 'standard' equipment for nurses.
I ALWAYS have a jar in my locker. . .
~faith,
Timothy.

*shudder* I cannot tolerate vicks. Stuff makes me feel queazy :uhoh21:

ortess1971 · May 19, 2006

I think we all have something that grosses us out-I have scrubbed amputations where I've had to pick up the limb, walk across the room with it and hand it to the circulator. No problem, doesn't phase me in the least. I hate being in the room for D&C's though. YUCK!!!!!:barf01:

sanctuary, BSN, MSN, RN · May 19, 2006

I never did have a problem with blood...I guess my mom told me when I was little that "that red stuff is your bodies way of cleaning things out...that is good stuff...but try to keep it in you since it has all those organs to clean!" So I don't think I ever thought of blood as anything other than a very helpful awesome body part! THANKS MOM!!!!!!!
BUT, just yesterday...I had a woman who needed to be hooked up to her PCA. She had the IV and everything and I was hooking her up for another nurse who NEEDED to get a lunch break (poor thing was going nuts!). I guess I hooked it up my way...and she had her own way. So she undid what I did and some blood came out the IV.
The poor ladies boyfriend was sitting (thank goodness) nearby and fainted! They told me just the site or even hearing about blood or needles makes him faint! Oh poor guy! I went to him and tried to wake him...and he started snoring so I put his head on my lap and got an airway (I was between furniture on the floor so I couldn't get into a good airway position, so head/shoulders on my lap) and he woke up just fine. Funny thing is that when he did wake up I gave him the most loving look and said..."Good morning sunshine"...he looked so perplexed and I laughed quickly and said "my dear...you just passed out, but DON'T think about why or you will go down again...just breathe with me for a moment and we will get you up".
I could just imagine seeing me instead of his girlfriend! LOL! He did just fine, and anytime we did ANYTHING...including just talking about things...we had him leave the room! LOL!
Talk about hemophobia!!!!!! WOW!

Sounds like a scene from ER! Too Funny. :lol2: :lol2:

rustonlpn · May 19, 2006

hemo-blood

phobia-resistance (scared, uncomfortable with )

melamin · May 20, 2006

hemo-blood
phobia-resistance (scared, uncomfortable with )

10 points

dorimar, BSN, RN · May 20, 2006

The blood doesn't bother me unless it is coming out of me or my own (then i get a little freaky). However, sputum and oral airway blocking chunks are my problem. I have acutally puked on occassion while doing oral care on certain patients. When the stuff is so big, dry and chunky that it gets stuck on the tip of the yankeur, and you end pulling out a loogi that is the size of a meatball.... well, i'm gagging now just thinking of it.

melamin · May 22, 2006

it seems people have abandoned this thread for the homophobic one..lol.

Justhere, BSN, RN · May 22, 2006

I have seen nurse clean a wound, then go eat something. Clean up poop and then go eat something. Clean up vomit, then go eat something. But it seems like you let a nurse just hear someone do the clearing your throat thing and spitting, they throw their food down and say "thats it". It use to make me gag to hear it or have to empty the little emesis basins full of it (Ok still sends chills down my spine thinking about it), but it has gotten better since I started taking care of a little boy on a vent with a trach that has to be suctioned, and also can't swallow well and has to spit at times into his rag that he carries around.