Help, I hate Vomit - Can I still be a nurse?

[blackribbon]

I focus on the poor patient and how they must be feeling, not the vomit. I used to carry around a Burts Bees lip balm (eucalyptus) in my pocket to put in my nose for strong odors like c-diff issues. Now I can just tolerate the smells so don't carry it anymore.

Nobody likes the smelly nasty issues like infected wounds, vomit, or c-diff...but you learn to cope for the patient's sake.

The worst smell I have encountered to date was cellulitis of the testicles...we had to put a fan in his room to make it even bearable for him. Once the abscess was drained, it was like a new room.

[ChickaBoom]

I don't mind emesis at all. The sight, sound, or smell really have no effect on me.

My superpower ends there though - I lose it all at the sight of hair or sputum caught in the drain. And needles. How can I be a nurse and have a fear of needles, you ask? I play on the side of very cautious and explain to my patients why I'm so cautious (so they don't take it personally). Most patients are receptive and agree that they are also afraid of needles.

Same with the nauseous patient - they definitely don't want to be vomiting and also don't like the sight, smell, or sound, so they appreciate that it probably can get to other people, too. We're all human and I think they find comfort in nurses that show that. :)

[MeredithAnne]

Ah, vomit... what a nasty thing. XD

When I decided I wanted to be a nurse, I still had quite a gag reflex. What actually helped was being around vomit more. My youngest sister, who was still a toddler when I made my career choice, was very very very prone to vomiting. Anything would set her off. A fuzz on the laundry. The sound of someone chewing. Too much processed food. A ten minute car ride. The doctor told my mom, "She's just a pukey kid", as they couldn't really find much of a cause.

Well, whenever she would vomit, usually, I was around and ended up cleaning it. I sat beside her on car rides with a bucket or an emesis bag nearby, and became known as "The Puke Catcher". XD

I swallowed my nervousness and decided that I was going to overcome my gag reflex. And for a long time, it worked. (: only problem is that now, it's been so long since I've had to take care of any messes like that, that my gag reflex has kind of come back. XD But knowing I can in fact overcome it helps. So does 1) holding your breath or breathing through your mouth, 2) Vicks or some other menthol cream rubbed beneath your nose so it overpowers the smell (I've heard that works anyway... never tried it, I have a menthol allergy), 3) mentally taking yourself someplace else, 4) realizing that when it comes down to it, it really is just stomach acid and food (usually o.0). I hope this will help a bit, but I know it's still nasty. :/ best of luck.

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

If you think vomit in the hospital is bad, ask ems about puke in the back of a small, overheated rig rocking back and forth down the road. Back and forth, back and forth.

It's all relative.