Ever Gag or Vimit While Doing the Job?

MisterSimba, BSN · Aug 21, 2008

the "that's so gross!" comment was just soooo inappropriate...
not cool at all.
i'm relieved to read of your sensitivity to your pt's self consciousness.
you're right.
it's all about maintaining one's dignity.
leslie

Yeah, it's really sad that someone would make a comment like that! I was helping a CNA give a bed bath a few weeks back and she said, "She smells bad!" I felt so bad for the patient.....if I was the patient in that situation, I would have been humiliated! These patients can't help it if they are incontinent and can't hop out of bed and take a shower!

mondkmondk · Aug 21, 2008

I myself haven't vomited since I was 12...vomit turns my normally cast iron stomach into a little puddle. I can barely stand to be there while they are doing it. If it is sputum or phlegm I'm fine...it is chunky stomach vomit I cannot take. I would offer one of my CNA's to go clean it up for me and in return I would do their bedcheck for them, including rinsing out the dirty linens. So far, no matter where I've worked, they've all jumped at the chance. I did have one patient code on me and while I was doing chest compressions, vomit just rolled out of her mouth; I actually didn't think about that until much later. I think I can do what I have to at the actual time or in a similar situation.

One time I was caring for this little old skin and bones lady who had gangrene in her foot/ankle and had dressing changes bid. Her skin would slough off during the dressing changes and you could see her bones and tendons etc. The smell was so bad that they wouldn't let her out of her room. The things that helped me most in this situation is putting Vick's under my nose and chewing mint flavored gum and putting a mask over my face too. Plus, on a bedside table, I had everything I needed for the dressing change so I could do it as quickly as possible.

Blessings, Michelle

leslie :-D · Aug 21, 2008

One time I was caring for this little old skin and bones lady who had gangrene in her foot/ankle and had dressing changes bid. Her skin would slough off during the dressing changes and you could see her bones and tendons etc. The smell was so bad that they wouldn't let her out of her room. The things that helped me most in this situation is putting Vick's under my nose and chewing mint flavored gum and putting a mask over my face too. Plus, on a bedside table, I had everything I needed for the dressing change so I could do it as quickly as possible.
Blessings, Michelle

gangrenous wounds warrant a wound consult.

and the wound nurse would have likely suggested charcoal dsgs, as an adjuvant dsg.

it's really unfortunate that she had been confined to her room.

i don't know if she was well enough or cared to leave, but the choice should have been hers.

that's too bad.

leslie

rhondaa83 · Aug 21, 2008

i had a 13 yo hospice pt who was vomiting his feces, blood and tissue/pieces of his tumors.
we're talking about abrupt and projectile vomiting.
those present, either scurried out of the room or turned their backs.
i jumped onto his bed so i could hold him while he vomited...
but the smell made me gag so much that i ended up vomiting.
i chose not to go running in the bathroom, because i didn't want to abandon him.
he was absolutely terrified so i chose to puke with him.
leslie

My goodness, you are a wonderfull nurse to do that. I would have layed there to if my patient was only 13 years old. I hope you are appreciated by your supervisor.:heartbeat

rph3664 · Aug 21, 2008

I've gagged if changing an extremely large stinky runny dirty diaper. I've also dry heaved while taking the output from an ostomy and attaching it to a feeding tube and putting it back in the fistula on the other side. BARF! This is so gross and I hate when the Drs order it.

WHAT???!?!??!??!!?!?!? How high an ostomy IS that?

Reason #456,342 why I am glad I don't have to do things like that.

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

I gag almost every time I have to do trach care. Nasty.

ilstu99 · Aug 21, 2008

This may sound dumb but I was just wondering if during nursing school or even on the job did you ever gag in front of anyone and they saw you or actually vomit? That is my BIGGEST fear right now LOL Because I know I am going to be gagging my like crazy especially in the beginning until I get used to the gross stuff and was wondering if this is a problems other may have had

It doesn't sound "dumb" at all, and I hope that all of these responses help you recognize that you're not alone!

I don't vomit over gross things, but there are a couple of things that make me gag - ileostomy changes (which smell like having your face in a litter pan) and trach patients hocking up big chunks.

Most people have a thing that grosses them out. Some of my coworkers gag at any kind of vomit. Well....ummmm.....we work with babies. This can be an issue. LOL.

Typically for me, when I see a patient really struggling, that wave of "oh no....you poor dear...." overrides my own physical reaction. Of course, that doesn't stop the smells from parking in my nose and on my clothes for the rest of my shift. Ick.

Good luck in school!!!!

gonzo1, ASN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

Leslie,

You have a special place in heaven for taking care of your 13 year old so wonderfully. God bless you.

Never barfed yet, but gagged many times. I'm sure the big ones yet to come

1TachyRN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

Once when I was a student. I was doing a head to toe skin assessment on one of my patients, looked between her toes and there was a maggot peeking out at me. I had to excuse myself for a minute because I could feel the bile start to rise. Didn't actually puke, though.

Nurse Salt · Aug 21, 2008

Leslie, your compassion with your 13 yo pt is the DEFINITION of nursing! 1000 props to you!!!

rph3664 · Aug 22, 2008

i had a 13 yo hospice pt who was vomiting his feces, blood and tissue/pieces of his tumors.
we're talking about abrupt and projectile vomiting.
those present, either scurried out of the room or turned their backs.
i jumped onto his bed so i could hold him while he vomited...
but the smell made me gag so much that i ended up vomiting.
i chose not to go running in the bathroom, because i didn't want to abandon him.
he was absolutely terrified so i chose to puke with him.
leslie

Was he at home or in a hospital or other facility? I'm curious.

What on earth was wrong with that young man?

mondkmondk · Aug 22, 2008

gangrenous wounds warrant a wound consult.
and the wound nurse would have likely suggested charcoal dsgs, as an adjuvant dsg.
it's really unfortunate that she had been confined to her room.
i don't know if she was well enough or cared to leave, but the choice should have been hers.
that's too bad.
leslie

Leslie: They had activated charcoal in her room. She had had every type of consult available. She was not a candidate for amputation as she probably wouldn't have survived the surgery. As it was, with every dressing change, we had to put a clean pillow case over her leg and tie it at the top. We had to keep her room door shut and spray disinfectant in the hallway outside of her room. You could literally smell her wounds anywhere on that unit. Thankfully, for her, she was comatose most of the time. Anytime she was semi conscious, she would moan so we gave her Roxanol sublingual every 3 hours. It was tough to change her dressings and I felt SO sorry for her. She was one of those patients that I was relieved when she passed, just because I knew then that her pain was gone forever, kwim?

Blessings, Michelle