I begin an RN program in August. I have worked hard in school and can't wait to start but... the one thing that does have me worried is what if I'm changing a diaper or something and the smell makes me gag??
Some of you may be cracking up right now! But I'm really nervous about that.
I'm not a complete wimp, I do have a son and changing his diapers never bothered me, but I would just feel so badly if a patient were to see me looking green!
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
Oh this is a funny story that happened to me yesterday infact! Now me...not much grosses me out, I am pretty good at 'going clinical' in my mind and not being bothered by gross sites, or smells! Well yesterday I finally got the nausea for the first time! LOL!
So I had this patient, brand new colostomy, several JP's, and a G-tube that was torn out during PT. The doc was called and he put in a foley for the G-tube as I assisted...it actually worked much better! LOL! So after the procedure the MD asked me very nicely to empty the colostomy which maybe max had 50cc's of old bloody biley goop (brand new colostomy). He left the room...hmmmm wonder why? LOL!!!!!!!!
So I got all the stuff out of the bag and I could NOT believe the horrid discusting death reeking smell that came from that site! I gagged seriously and had to quickly compose myself by telling my mind to think of something else. It filled the entire room in a moment and even the wife had to leave...and the patient wasn't too thrilled he had to stay in bed with that smell! Nothing got that smell out of that room!
I even smelled it on my clothes afterwards despite fabreeze and washing myself as much as I could at work. Lucky for me it was only 2 hours worth...but oh my...I have never been so nauseated..heck, normally smells dont' even do that to me (it wasn't the sight of it that disturbed me at all...).
I told the doc, and yes...infection with some necrosis so another surgery for this poor guy! So old bloody drainage, bile, GI fluids, necrosis, and infection...no wonder I got queezy!
Lucky for me I didn't throw up or faint! It really honestly was THAT bad! But I had to giggle a bit...so much for Mrs. Iron Stomach! LOL!!!!!
That is the exact same reason I can't breathe through my mouth when faced with a nasty smell. My mind just says "Ewww! You're not smelling it now, just EATING it instead!! LOL
I just tend to work quickly and don't breathe deeply at all through my nose.
Hi Alice b. I'd just take a deep breath, go in, if it's too much, leave for a minute and breath lightly. Sometimes, as weird as it sounds, talk to the person about absolutely anything. It'll take both your minds off it. it'll steer your mind in a different direction.
I never had this problem. But i have big problems with dentures. I have no idea why, i couldn't do it. When i first started nursing, i nearly burst into tears when they put their dentures in my hand! And cleaning them. It sounds really stupid and i felt stupid when the lady i was training with just looked at me frozen on the spot. I just told myself to do it. Now i keep talking or singing.
Not a nurse yet, but hope to be, but one thing you might think about is carrying a small can of orange air freshener in your pocket (orange is absolutely the best at neutralizing, not just masking, odors). Use it discretely f course, but the patient probably doesn't like the dor any better than you do.
Also, I find biting my tongue helps control gaga reflex.
One day in clinicals, i was emptying a colostomy bag (one of 2 things that will make me gag) and I started smiling (heard it on CSI!) and i was fine. Of course my teacher was like, "what in the hell are you doing?!" of course, i had to explain to her, and she basically told me, "try not to have a S*** eatin' grin on your face next time you do that!" Thank goodness then patient was kind of out of it, or she would of thought i was crazy!
I've only had to use this a couple of times, but you get a good smiley face, make sure the pt is safe, or someone else is in there and say, "oh, I forgot to get something" and then run out into the hall. Then you can either run to the bathroom and hurl, or quietly compose yourself outside, then walk back in with a 4x4 or box of gloves or something.
Yep; the mark of a true professional-a quick time-out to upchuck if ya gotta, then on with the business at hand!
You definitely will get desensitized though. What does it for me is empathy; I can't help but think about the discomfort/ embarrassment the pt is going through, and that they can't just go home at the end of the shift, or even just step away for a minute. Somehow this makes me feel less affected by the odors, etc.
That is the exact same reason I can't breathe through my mouth when faced with a nasty smell. My mind just says "Ewww! You're not smelling it now, just EATING it instead!! LOL
I just tend to work quickly and don't breathe deeply at all through my nose.
The worst was the first time I smelled c-diff. That is something you never forget, and I think any nurse or LNA will tell you that!
That's exactly how I feel- I feel like if I open my mouth, I'm eating it too. If I have to work through a particularly disgusting situation, I feel like I use the volume of air that's in my neck re-useing it over and over again. I hate to even breath. Speaking of, I just cleaned up a mad persian cat mess. Unfortunately, she has a beef with my husband, I think.
I'm a 20+ year paramedic also starting nursing school this month. Pretty much everybody has something that gags them or totally grosses them out. A couple of the best nurse-medics I ever knew had that problem and I do too. I have heard of healthcare providers actually vomitting, but I can't say I've actually seen it in my 25 years, but I figure if I do, so what?
I focus on the task at hand and try to work very efficiently and well. When necessary I find some fresher air and stick my nose in it for a moment. I have found that after a few minutes my nose usually becomes somewhat desensitized to the smell. I agree with those that can't breathe through their mouths. I feel like I'm eating the smell.
Bury your nose in your arm pit and take a big wiff of your deodorant-- then hold your breath until you just about pass out and then repeat!! works every time!!
Once I got past the first few times, almost nothing makes me sick. One time a surgeon I liked let me scrub in and watch him do a colon re-section - it was SO cool to think that I was holding a living persons intestines in my hand.
The only time I got to really gagging - was trying to wash a pts back, and he had this HUGE blackhead. I have no idea why it made me so ill - but I don't like blackheads. Or toenails - refuse to clip the nasty things.
! It suppresses the gag reflex! 
Antikigirl, ASN, RN
2,595 Posts
Oh this is a funny story that happened to me yesterday infact! Now me...not much grosses me out, I am pretty good at 'going clinical' in my mind and not being bothered by gross sites, or smells! Well yesterday I finally got the nausea for the first time! LOL!
So I had this patient, brand new colostomy, several JP's, and a G-tube that was torn out during PT. The doc was called and he put in a foley for the G-tube as I assisted...it actually worked much better! LOL! So after the procedure the MD asked me very nicely to empty the colostomy which maybe max had 50cc's of old bloody biley goop (brand new colostomy). He left the room...hmmmm wonder why? LOL!!!!!!!!
So I got all the stuff out of the bag and I could NOT believe the horrid discusting death reeking smell that came from that site! I gagged seriously and had to quickly compose myself by telling my mind to think of something else. It filled the entire room in a moment and even the wife had to leave...and the patient wasn't too thrilled he had to stay in bed with that smell! Nothing got that smell out of that room!
I even smelled it on my clothes afterwards despite fabreeze and washing myself as much as I could at work. Lucky for me it was only 2 hours worth...but oh my...I have never been so nauseated..heck, normally smells dont' even do that to me (it wasn't the sight of it that disturbed me at all...).
I told the doc, and yes...infection with some necrosis so another surgery for this poor guy! So old bloody drainage, bile, GI fluids, necrosis, and infection...no wonder I got queezy!
Lucky for me I didn't throw up or faint! It really honestly was THAT bad! But I had to giggle a bit...so much for Mrs. Iron Stomach! LOL!!!!!