How do you handle a weak stomach?

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 1, 2005

I did a search on this first before posting, but did not find much. Several posts mentioned that having children of their own took care of this problem, but I have no children. I've got a weak stomach...blood does not bother me, but things like mucus, feces, and vomit will make my eyes tear up, and I will gag and dry heave. The only way I can stop is to force myself to stop thinking about it and get away from the smell. I've come close to nearly vomiting myself.
Now I'm not a nurse yet...but this problem of mine concerns me!

I have heard that your stomach is stronger than you may think once you start the clinical environment. When you see that it is a serious thing and you look at it in a different prospective and you'll get over it. I will find out soon I guess. Best wishes to you. :)

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 1, 2005

i did a search on this first before posting, but did not find much. several posts mentioned that having children of their own took care of this problem, but i have no children. i've got a weak stomach...blood does not bother me, but things like mucus, feces, and vomit will make my eyes tear up, and i will gag and dry heave. the only way i can stop is to force myself to stop thinking about it and get away from the smell. i've come close to nearly vomiting myself.
now i'm not a nurse yet...but this problem of mine concerns me!

laugh and world laughs with you.

vomit and i will join you!!

me, too, pandora. it is the one thing i can not handle. there was a thread started on this very subject within the past couple weeks.

you will find your own way....menthol on the upper lip....holding your breath....leaving the room briefly and taking some cleansing breaths, etc.

siri, crnp, clnc, rlnc

Siouxz2 · Aug 1, 2005

Queen of weak stomachs speaking here. In all honesty, my ability to handle poop caused me a LOT of stress before I started clinicals. At first, yes, I almost couldn't handle it. But my sister-in-law, who has many years in as an aide in a nursing home, gave me a few pointers.

1. For some reason, smiling inhibits the gag reflex. Breathe through your mouth and smile slightly. It does help.

2. Condition yourself to think of it as just "dirt." I had a real hard time cleaning up patients when I kept thinking, "This is poop. This is poop. This is poop." Try not to think about what it is, just concentrate on making the patient clean again.

Yes, I still have my moments. But I'm not so scared about being able to handle it anymore. I'm sure, though, one of these days I'm gonna get a BIG mess, and then we'll see how that goes LOL.

kimhaw · Aug 1, 2005

Vomiting is defintely the one thing I cannot handle. It worried me some before starting nursing school. This summer I have been working as a tech and I had my first patient to vomit. First I made sure the patient was safe and had something to vomit in and was sitting upright. After this I could no longer handle it and the med nurse in the room told me to step out of the room and breath slowly. I went to the R.N. advised her the pt. was vomiting. This particular R.N. (the pts nurse) told me to just make sure he's cleaned up. Of course I was going to do that after he finished;the med nurse who was a lpn threw everything out and started on the pt. and I came back in and finished cleaning him and put the patient to bed. This particular nurse understood what I was going through and helped me by letting me leave the room but I am pretty sure if the pt. nurse was in the room she wouldh have left and let me just handle it but I think she is trying to break me in or something. She even asked me why I was not helping to lpn clean the pt. and I told her my reaction to vomit and she stated that I will get over it. I survived it but it may be different next time.

rhapsodyRN · Aug 1, 2005

I had a real hard time cleaning up patients when I kept thinking, "This is poop. This is poop. This is poop."

:lol2: :lol2:

Just the way you said that cracked me up. I KNOW that's how I'm going to see it the first time, but you're right. I'll just try and think of it as dirt and keep going. :wink2:

Boston-RN, RN · Aug 1, 2005

I am starting school in sept too and this is a concern of mine....not the sight or touch it's the SMELL that I think will break me....

Thinking of it as dirt that smells a lot like poop wont help....I'm just going to buy myself an industrial size tub of menthol rub for the upper lip and hopefully that will help

Good luck to all

MIA-RN1, RN · Aug 1, 2005

I did a search on this first before posting, but did not find much. Several posts mentioned that having children of their own took care of this problem, but I have no children. I've got a weak stomach...blood does not bother me, but things like mucus, feces, and vomit will make my eyes tear up, and I will gag and dry heave. The only way I can stop is to force myself to stop thinking about it and get away from the smell. I've come close to nearly vomiting myself.
Now I'm not a nurse yet...but this problem of mine concerns me!

I'm still a student too but at work the other night at work I was in a room w/ a doc and nurse who were cleaning a stage IV decubitus that was huge and the worst smell in the world. I had the option of not going in--I was offered the chance to go in just to see it and watch. I went, knowing the smell would get me (It was in the hallway too). I breathed thru my mouth and told myself--repeatedly--"this is a person. Imagine how they feel" Thats what got me thru.

i have heard that Halls will help kill the smell too if you pop one in your mouth before going in a room. I bought a bag the next day.

RNpandoraRN · Aug 1, 2005

I am starting school in sept too and this is a concern of mine....not the sight or touch it's the SMELL that I think will break me....
Good luck to all

It's ALL OF THE ABOVE that gets to me. I've got two long-haired cats, and the occasional furball pile of vomit I get to come home to gets me into a gagging fit - and their's doesn't even smell! The feel and texture of it....

Even the strong smell of urine can make me queasy.

My goodness, maybe I need to think about another career path!!

I worry about offending a patient if it's obvious I am getting sick because they had an accident. Cough drops in the mouth sounds like a great idea, I'll have to try that..

murph · Aug 1, 2005

I have heard that your stomach is stronger than you may think once you start the clinical environment. When you see that it is a serious thing and you look at it in a different prospective and you'll get over it. I will find out soon I guess. Best wishes to you. :)

If you put enough Vick's under your nose you can't smell anything but the Vicks! And it is OK to gag everyone has. My trick in the ER was to concentrate on ABC patient's airway, breathing etc. Thinking about process and procedure always helped me get over the "person" part" until I was somewhere that I could handle it.

ocb_dave_ocb, LPN · Aug 1, 2005

^^ agreed use the vicks or Mentholatum... try to breath out your mouth more as well

RNpandoraRN · Aug 1, 2005

^^ agreed use the vicks or Mentholatum... try to breath out your mouth more as well

Maybe I make it worse for myself by thinking too much about what I'm doing...

But whenever I've had to use one of those portable potties like at state fairs or campgrounds, I always breathe through my mouth -- but afterwards, it's like the odor gets into my mouth and stays there, and then I can TASTE it. LOL am I the only one? :uhoh21: