Fear of blood

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

When I see a nurse draw blood from a patient I am okay at first and after a minute or so I get dizzy, however, I am okay when she injects the needle. Are there any nurses who could not stand blood but eventually learned to overcome the fear, if so, how? I love the healthcare field but I am scared of blood, and many people are asking me how are you going to be a nurse if you can't stand it.

[StrwbryblndRN]

The only thing I can suggest is desensitize yourself. Start out slow till it does not bother you. Not sure about the best method though. Good luck. You can do it.

[noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP]

I'm a nursing student and have been working to overcome the exact same challenge you describe. I'm fine with injections but blood draws make me dizzy. I get especially grossed out when they shake up the vials. Accuchecks really give me the chills too. To overcome this, expose yourself to these uncomfortable situations in small doses and always have a chair nearby to sit in if need be. I've gotten dizzy and almost fainted three times in clinical but all of these instances were during my first and second semesters. I did not get dizzy or faint at all during my third semester (which I just finished).

The wierd thing is: blood on wounds or watching someone get cut open doesn't bother me at all. I'm always fine during surgical observations.

O, I've also heard that when you are the one performing the skill on the patient you are so focused on the task at hand that you don't faint. For example, my first semester I got dizzy and faint from watching a nurse drain someone's pleurex drain. This semester, I drained one of my patient's pleurex drains two times without any issues.

Good luck! :) You can overcome this!

[noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP]

People also ask me how I am going to be a nurse too. I usually just say, "I'll figure it out," and smile.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Oh dear.

I got sprayed with arterial blood the other day. Looked like a vampire movie.

So...I suggest you get over it.

QUICK.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Get over it, or don't, but buzz off. And you'll see alot of poop too.

Geez it's like asking olympians about disliking strenuous exercise.

[wsuRN09]

I had the same problem when I was a student. It was so bad I had to lay down after watching a skills video on IV access... then a week later I had to start an IV on a real person and I did fine. As a previous poster said, just expose yourself little by little and eventually you should become desensitized and when you are the one doing it you become so focused it shouldn't bother you anymore. Anyway, you're not alone and you'll be fine.

[soontobenurse!!]

Personally, I think it's like anything you do, its hard at first but as time goes on you get used to it, and you will!!

Good Luck!

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

I'm a nursing student and have been working to overcome the exact same challenge you describe. I'm fine with injections but blood draws make me dizzy. I get especially grossed out when they shake up the vials. Accuchecks really give me the chills too. To overcome this, expose yourself to these uncomfortable situations in small doses and always have a chair nearby to sit in if need be. I've gotten dizzy and almost fainted three times in clinical but all of these instances were during my first and second semesters. I did not get dizzy or faint at all during my third semester (which I just finished).

The wierd thing is: blood on wounds or watching someone get cut open doesn't bother me at all. I'm always fine during surgical observations.

O, I've also heard that when you are the one performing the skill on the patient you are so focused on the task at hand that you don't faint. For example, my first semester I got dizzy and faint from watching a nurse drain someone's pleurex drain. This semester, I drained one of my patient's pleurex drains two times without any issues.

Good luck! :) You can overcome this!

I have done so many Accuchecks and I do not get dizzy when I do them but for some odd reason when I see nurses draw blood and filling the vials or (tubes) and shaking it what makes me dizzy is overthinking. I always think OMG look how much blood the patient is losing.I can change wound dressings without a problem, but one day I had a patient describe to be the entire surgery procedure after I changed the dressing and I got dizzy and sat on his wheelchair I wanted to say so bad I have to go because I feel dizzy but that would be very rude, and unprofessional I thought. Professors are telling me that I can overcome this and I hope I do.

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

Thank you so much everybody, your comments give me hope and make me want to study even more and never give up.