Experienced nurses, please help!

if you know going into the situation that its going to be a bad one sometimes you can put a really strong smelling lotion under your nose? I used to do that during disection in school.

I was in New Orleans last year to help with some hurricane cleanup. We were clearing out a school; with all the mold and stagnant water, we used surgical-type masks. Those with queasy stomaches used Vicks Vaporub inside the mask. You obviously can't use a surgical mask all the time, but you might be able to use the Vicks under your nose/around nostrils. Good luck!

You may try putting your favorite perfume under your nose. Also you may try keeping a peppermint lifesaver in your mouth. Peppermint oil under your nose works too. I unfortunately have the same problem. Good luck! These things work for me.

OH gosh, I am so glad you posted that. Changing tons of diapers have got me used to poop, but it's the vomit that I am most scared of. Every time I see someone else gag, I feel an uncontrollable urge to throw up, and I have a very, very strong stomach.

Has anyone ever watched an episode of Shock TV? I won't describe what they showed on there...but one episode actually made me throw up it was that bad.

What is odd, is I have observed an autopsy before, and I didn't even flinch.

how about telling your instructor you may have a cold and wear a mask.

you can also try some lip balm that smells like mint

after a while you do get used to the smell. Are'nt you glad we can wear gloves???

good Luck

Biker that is a great idea...wonder if you carried a small tube of Vics in your pocket and put that under your nose right before you do the procedures. Wonder if that would work?

vicks really does help. I carry some in my pocket and just rub a little under my nose for those lovely situations.

The "vicks vapor rub" is what helped me. It also comes in a stick form that you can inhale. The vapor smell is so.....strong, it would be hard to smell anything else. Also comes in a cherry flavor for kids.:wink2:

Some kind of mentholatum ointment is a mainstay for ER nurses, to deal with the smelly bodies we take care of. Use a cotton swab and dab a little inside each nostril right before you go in the room. Perfume or perfumed lotions are not a good idea because those smelly bodies are occupied by sick people, and sick people often cannot tolerate perfumed scents.

EMTs and paramedics use Vicks under the nose when they have to go into a house where a corpse has been lying for several days. Also, breathe through your mouth when you can. That lessens your ability to smell things.

Good luck!

If you're cleaning up a cdiff pt, or someone with otherwise "super stinky" excrement, you should be wearing a mask just due to the flying object risk. Chew gum, suck on a mint, use vicks (in a pinch, you can put a drop of mastisol or benzoin on the mask). When you can't use a mask, everyone has given some really good ideas, but you should be able to use a mask in many situations without looking insensitive.