Help with Anxiety/Fainting

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I am a first semester nursing student and recently at my clinical I came very close to passing out. I was not even remotely grossed out ( I was doing a blood draw from an IV hub) but for some reason in the middle of doing it I got extremely hot and light headed. I made it through the process without passing out but once I was finished I had to immediately sit down and drink some water because I was so light headed and dizzy. My instructor and classmates were really worried because they said I was very pale and even a greenish color. I felt terrible and was so embarrassed. The patient's room was very warm and there were 4 family members in addition to the patient, 2 other students, and a nurse all in the room with me. About an hour later we went into another patients room and had to do a dressing change that involved lots of blood but i was completely fine with it. Blood has never grossed me out before and I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else? It was just so bizarre because I have never had issues with passing out before and now I am even more nervous to go back to clinical because of the fear of getting sick or passing out. Its starting to make me wonder if ill be able to get through certain areas of nursing because there are a lot more gory/gross things than that. I was wondering if anyone had any advice or suggestions also. Thanks

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This same thing happened to me last week in clinicals. I'm a 2nd year student in my med surg rotation and I got so lightheaded watching a jugular vein catheter removal that I actually fell over onto my friend and 2 nurses had to put me in a chair. Unlike you, I think I actually do have a slight problem with blood but just haven't been around it enough to really know it. Yesterday I had to watch blood being drawn twice and felt myself getting hot both times. BUT I also had to watch a jugular vein catheter removal for the first time after passing out and was completely fine. It's all mental, and it's totally possible to overcome. Just may take some time to train the brain to not get dizzy/faint at the sight of these things. I was just as scared, if not more scared than you were about going back into clinicals. I couldn't even sleep the night before, but I ended up being ok. Don't be so hard on yourself!!! It happens to a LOT of people.

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It's happened to me. I'm a scrub tech in the Operating Room and have been doing that job for 5 years now. About 3 weeks ago I had to break scrub in the middle of the case because I got so hot. I drank some water and put a cold cloth on my neck and felt fine about 20 minutes later. It happens! Don't worry:)

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Scroll down, there's a whole thread with almost 50 responses in here somewhere. Many people have been there, done that, and overcome it. I am sure that a lot of those stories will resonate c you.

Breathe! Flex your feet and legs! Locking your knees and holding your breath unconsciously will decrease your venous return and make your BP drop, and there goes your cerebral perfusion. Your body says, "brain wants to be at foot level," and there it goes. :) That's what happens to the Buckingham Palace guards if they stand at attention for too long without flexing their legs inside those long black trousers. Be mindful of your body and it will take better care of you. :)

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/almost-passed-out-814273.html

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Thanks so much for the stories and the link to the other forums it makes me feel a lot better to know I'm not alone!

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