Future nursing student questions

[bt40567]

Hi everyone! I'm enrolled to nursing school for next fall. I wouldn't say I'm squeamish, from my experience so far, I don't really mind the sight of blood and other bodily fluids. But, I can't say I've been exposed to them all that much. Therefore, I'm really not sure how I will react. So basically my question is, did you all just kinda get used to dealing with bodily fluids often? Or did you know before starting nursing school that you'd be totally fine with it?

[barcode120x, RN, NP]

I was already used to it due to having prior experience, but in general, bodily fluids have never gotten to me my entire life EXCEPT FOR ONE. BAD body odor will make me gag. Typical gym stench is fine with me, but if the BO has been their for days, I'll almost puke lol.

I've had classmates that gagged in first semester from the first smell of other people's poop, especially if you get down and dirty, but they eventually built tolerance with the use of masks and others. Usually gum or mints while cleaning up seems to do the trick.

[stephanyj89]

I agree. I can handle just about any smell or fluid, except bad BO (like homeless, urine/feces soaked clothes). I've started to build a tolerance to it and I try not to focus on it during a call (I'm an EMT, planning to start nursing school next year). Gum is a tricky one because sometimes the smell can attach to the gum and then it's like chewing the smell long after the patient. Mints work well, I've also heard Vick's under the nose can block some smells. Good luck!