Dizzy during circumcision

Published

So today in my WBN clinical rotation I was lucky enough to be able to witness a circumcision....well I got dizzy and had to walk out. I had breakfast but it was at 6am before clinical and the procedure took place at 11am. I tried to convince myself that I was ok and just started moving around a bit to get the blood flowing but eventually I said "self you better stop trying to be mrs tough girl and leave before the doc has to stop what he's doing to pick you up off the floor". So I walk out and one of the nurses saw me and insisted I sit and have some water. she knew right away why I looked the way I did, apparently I was white as a ghost according to her. So my question is, is there anything I can do to help this situation other than eating closer to the time? We aren't really allowed to have food on the floor my only Time to eat is on lunch break and before I go in. When I was in a&p we went to cadaver labs where we saw full bodies, skinned bodies, and body parts and I was ok, got a little dizzy the first time but as I got moving around I was ok from that point on. Idk why that got to me so hard, and of course 2 of my partners in clinical are surgical techs and I felt SO stupid!

Really? You don't remember getting excited to see new things in nursing school?

I could happily go through 4 years and beyond of nursing school without ever seeing a circumcision. Or a C-section. Or an I and D. Or any surgical procedure, really. Poop and vomit and wounds and dead bodies, I'm fine with. Surgeries and cutting people open.... makes me queasy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I guess I say lucky bc I haven't really seen anything out of the ordinary on any rotation I've had so far. I want to see as much as I can while in school.

I really hope I become desensitized to this kind of thing at least a little. And I'm the same with the TB on myself, even watching them draw blood from my arm makes me a little woozy.

circumcision is a controversial subject here (and elsewhere)...kind of like the ADN BSN debates.

It is common to get woosey at first. remember to BREATHE! Don't lock you legs/knees it pools the blood. Many students hold their breath which causes a vagal stimulation which causes the faint feeling.

It sounds like you are not cut out for that kind of nursing. A circumcision is a fairly routine and common procedure; I'm not sure why a nurse would have a problem with it. Maybe you should try something that does not involve physical illness (bloods, pain, etc.).

Really? she is a student.

I have issues with recommending that people aren't "cut out" for something.

I was a very seasoned nurse doing a thorasic angio on a trached trauma with a de-gloving injury of the face (his face was peeled back from the skeletal structure) when the Neuro trauma surgeon came in eating a apple to "explore" this patients gaping skull injury with his other gloved hand at 3 AM. Crunch on the apple as he probed the gaping forehead would.......

The room began to swim and my peripheral vision began to narrow....I sat down on the floor before I crashed to the floor and told the CV surgeon near by to get this donkey out of the lab so he can "EXPLORE" this in the OR if this patient survived to get out of the lab! (great doc but he was one strange bird)

OP.....It will "go away" and get better but there are those times.....((HUGS))

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
It sounds like you are not cut out for that kind of nursing. A circumcision is a fairly routine and common procedure; I'm not sure why a nurse would have a problem with it. Maybe you should try something that does not involve physical illness (bloods, pain, etc.).

I disagree. Very early in my nursing school career, I came very close to passing out while delivering a placenta (the OB, who knew I wanted to go into OB/gyn nursing, had me do it while he instructed me on what to do). I have gone on to deliver dozens of babies, hundrends of placentas, as well as acting as first assist during more than a few c-sections.

It's a common reaction when you're not used to seeing blood and tissue and cutting things off. It will pass.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

Watching circumcisions during my OB rotation was one of many reasons I decided to not have it done with my sons. Not much bothers me, but that did...

I don't think it's an unusual reaction. It seems like if you worked in that area you would get used to it though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
circumcision is a controversial subject here (and elsewhere)...kind of like the ADN BSN debates.

It is common to get woosey at first. remember to BREATHE! Don't lock you legs/knees it pools the blood. Many students hold their breath which causes a vagal stimulation which causes the faint feeling.

Really? she is a student.

I have issues with recommending that people aren't "cut out" for something.

I was a very seasoned nurse doing a thorasic angio on a trached trauma with a de-gloving injury of the face (his face was peeled back from the skeletal structure) when the Neuro trauma surgeon came in eating a apple to "explore" this patients gaping skull injury with his other gloved hand at 3 AM. Crunch on the apple as he probed the gaping forehead would.......

The room began to swim and my peripheral vision began to narrow....I sat down on the floor before I crashed to the floor and told the CV surgeon near by to get this donkey out of the lab so he can "EXPLORE" this in the OR if this patient survived to get out of the lab! (great doc but he was one strange bird)

OP.....It will "go away" and get better but there are those times.....((HUGS))

Idk esme12, maybe you're not cut out for it at all ;-P

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
It sounds like you are not cut out for that kind of nursing. A circumcision is a fairly routine and common procedure; I'm not sure why a nurse would have a problem with it. Maybe you should try something that does not involve physical illness (bloods, pain, etc.).

A student got woozy and they aren't cut out for it? Seriously? It can take some people some time to adjust to these things....doesn't mean they aren't cut out for it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I precepted in postpartum, and that's the one thing I have SUCH a hard time with. I have an offer there, and the DREAD the day I have to be in there with a circ.

We all have that *one* thing that gets us. I almost passed out during an endometrial biopsy about 10 years ago (something about the scraping of the inside of the uterus without ANY anesthesia... Yeah.). With my career goal of becoming a certified nurse midwife, I'm sure I'll have to perform this procedure at some point!

I don't think any of what happened means you're not cut out for this. I think over time, you'll be fine, and I agree it would be good to be exposed to the procedure again (if only for your own peace of mind, to redeem yourself!). I'm guessing if you see it again, you'll be okay, just don't psych yourself out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pedi.
Haha, No I get it, and I still take every chance I get to see or learn something new. That comment about being "lucky" was just an attempt to slide in my own beliefs about circumcision (put down the scalpel and step away from the baby!) without being too obvious. Fail. Carry on!

I understood what you meant... that's how I felt about seeing ECT when I was in my psych clinical. Seeing it did actually change my perception of it though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Idk esme12, maybe you're not cut out for it at all ;-P
Maybe I need to find another career....:roflmao:

and that was supposed to be wound not would

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

Years ago we would line the babies up in a row, and the doctor would go down the row doing the circumcisions. The thing that bothered me was the screaming the little babies did; their faces would turn red and they would cry so hard. I haven't seen one in years; I hope it is more humane these days. I haven't experienced dizziness or fainting, but I have thrown up a few times in my career.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I haven't seen one in years; I hope it is more humane these days.

Well, they do at least anesthetize them now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
It sounds like you are not cut out for that kind of nursing. A circumcision is a fairly routine and common procedure; I'm not sure why a nurse would have a problem with it. Maybe you should try something that does not involve physical illness (bloods, pain, etc.).

I actually had the same thing happen to me, I didnt realize it would hit me so hard. I wouldnt say I am not "cut out for that kind of nursing" though.... I would say I had an unexpected reaction and will have to work on it. In school I have watch many invasive procedures without any issues, not sure whh the circumcision got to me. I would consider it normal based on the understanding and concern I saw from the nurses I was with that day. Lighten up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion