Hi... I am a 1st semester student and I had my first clinical yesterday. I do fine with blood, mucous, pee, and such but I can't control my gag reflex when around poop. I even did a foley cath that morning on a little elderly lady who did not smell the best but when I went to help another student hold a lady on her side so that she could be cleaned up I could no longer control the gag after about 5 minutes. I feel so embarrassed and I never want to make a patient feel bad about needing to be cleaned up. What can I do to stop this and will I ever just get used to fecal odor. Becoming a nurse is very important to me I just hoope that I can move past this. It also does not help that I quit smoking 2 months ago so I can really smell now. Please help...
:imbar My 4th day of clinical, I was getting an older gentleman up to go to the bathroom when he did his "business" all over the floor, my shoes, pants and the wall. That got me over the whole thing REALLY fast.....
When I worked as a medical assistant at a clinic and smelly people would come in, we rubbed this vanilla herbal tincture on our upper lip. That really helped too if you dont want to smell like vapor rub!
Specializes in ER, ICU, Nursing Education, LTC, and HHC.
I have been an RN for just over 16 yrs now, and still I have one area that will still gag me to pukeing... the smell of vomit... I can look at anything, the poop, blood, snot, wounds, secretions, trauma, it doesn't matter.. but boy o boy.. don't let me get a whiff of puke.. I will be pukeing right along with them...
:imbar My 4th day of clinical, I was getting an older gentleman up to go to the bathroom when he did his "business" all over the floor, my shoes, pants and the wall. That got me over the whole thing REALLY fast.....
When I worked as a medical assistant at a clinic and smelly people would come in, we rubbed this vanilla herbal tincture on our upper lip. That really helped too if you dont want to smell like vapor rub!
The first time I gave GOLYTELY this patient was "cleaned" out from both ends.
Another nurse and myself were cleaning the patient and the patient, the other nurse, and myself took turns "hugging" the pocelin throne.
Finally back up came in and the other nurse and I made a fast run to the nurses lounge with an icepack for our heads and a barf bag. We still laugh abouth this.
this is in response to the girl who said she would play with poop. Never spent much time around elderly pt have you honey?? they very rarely have a normal bm it is always loose. which is part of my problem. why is it when I pass meds in clinical every darn pt is on colace?? have fun with your art!!!!!
You'll get used to it. I'm a CNA going to school for MA. I still come here on occasion because for a long time I was intending to go to nursing school.
Anyhow...You should hang out in a nursing home for awhile. You'll get used to all of those lovely sights and smells pretty quickly.
My absolute worst was doing post mortem on a lady who was basically running on both ends and it seemed to go on forever. Every time we'd get her clean and roll her even slightly the other way to clean the rest of her, she'd start running again. We ended up having to strip and remake the bed (with her in it of course). And we wanted her to be CLEAN (her family was on it's way).
Thanks for the response. Nah, this is it for me I can't wait until I'm done with school so I can go to work! I come home from school and think about school until I go to bed, DREAM about school (honestly!) and then get up and go again! I'm too old for this :rotfl: Work has GOT to be easier than this!
Lorraine
Lorainne...
Good luck with the MA school. I did that first...before nursing school. It's a lot different than being a CNA. It's a lot of fun being a MA.
Dont give up on the nursing school idea either....!!
With 35+ years nursing experience, I can honestly say that only one thing has ever made me gag and almost puke...(and LEARN from my experience...) :nono:Never, never, never take out a feeding tube on a patient who has died of stomach cancer. Leave it in and let the mortician deal with the green liquid stench that continues to pour out of the stoma.:uhoh21:
The first time I gave GOLYTELY this patient was "cleaned" out from both ends.
I can't wait until I'm done with school so I can go to work! I come home from school and think about school until I go to bed, DREAM about school (honestly!) and then get up and go again! I'm too old for this :rotfl: Work has GOT to be easier than this!
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i find that a little pepermint extract will help. put a dab below your nose. i also like altoids ALOT!