I might gag

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Hi I'm a 23 year old student that's entering lpn school real soon. I just want to share a problem with you guys. Its like if I smell strong body waste. I have no problem with urine. But poob and a spit cup reaally erks me. I hope I can get over this problem I have. Can u tell me how you all deal with situations like this. Is there any hope for me.

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Is it the smell? If it really does you in rub a little vICKS UNDER YOUR NOSE.

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Oh my god sue you are a genius. I never would have thought of that. I guess that's why god gives us all great minds. Thank a bunch

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Not a genius. I read a lot of crime and mystery novels and that's what they do when they find a corpse. It works.

;)

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Specializes in LTC.
Is it the smell? If it really does you in rub a little vICKS UNDER YOUR NOSE.

:yeahthat:And don't feel bad: When I do trach care I have a hard time NOT gagging, and have on occasion had to walk away for a minute to compose myself. We all have our "thing" that gets us. Vomit got one of my instructors every time, and she was not shy about letting us know. She has been in health care for 20+ years, so I don't feel so bad!

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Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.

I've been a Nurse few many years and fecal matter still makes me gag and/or vomit. It doesn't matter if it is an adult or a baby (many people try to force me to believe that baby poo is somehow not as bad...I beg to differ). I've posted my opinion regarding this before on other threads.

I refuse to apologize for a reflex. Many Nurses seem to get very angry with those that admit that they do not enjoy the sight or smell of fecal matter. I feel it is a control issue.

Hey, sorry you have a personal problem with what my body responds to. Believe me, I am sure there are things that you don't like that I may not fully understand either.

No amount of kleenex in my nose or Vicks or whatever you want me to do will stop my poogagvomit reflex.

That's life.

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I have found it helpful to breathe through your mouth.

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Specializes in Dialysis.

If you breath through your mouth then it seems like your tasting the nastyness. Learn to hold your breath:up:

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Specializes in Med surg/oncology, LTC/Alzheimers.

I thought the same thing before I became a CNA 3 years ago, hopefully youll be a lucky one who can ignore the nasty of nursing or professionally excuse yourself. Now that Im charge nursing in LTC we get alot of young people that make sounds and faces during patient cares, I think thats totally inappropriate. Just put yourself in the patients shoes. If your in bad shape do you want to feel as if your grossing out the staff. Just my 2 cents.

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Is it the smell? If it really does you in rub a little vICKS UNDER YOUR NOSE.

Do that actually works?

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Specializes in Emergency, LTC, Med/Surg.
If you breath through your mouth then it seems like your tasting the nastyness. Learn to hold your breath:up:

I personally would rather smell it than taste it, but I suppose there are those who better to taste than waste it.:D

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Do that actually works?

Works for me. Although I've become acustom to most smells, not many both me anymore.

I learned the Vicks under the nose trick when i was a newbie EMT. The paramedic I rode with tossed me a little container of Vicks on the way to a call one night. I had no idea why he did it, I though, do I sound congested or like I have a cold? I said, I don't need this but thanks. He laughed and said "Love, when we get to this call you are going to need MORE than just Vicks" The call was for "unknown medical" meaning nothing more specific was given by the caller for the ambulance. (the medic had a bit more info that the police had given him, but all I knew was unknown medical)

We walked in and the police coming out of the apartment looked as though they were going to vomit, several were gagging. The pile of newspapers at the apartment door was a clue...obviously someone in that apartment had died a few days ago (from the pile of papers I'd have to guess at least a week). I took all that in BEFORE the stench hit me full force! I grabbed that Vicks, clogged up both nostrils with it (it is supposed to go under your nose..not in it LOL) grabbed a mask, took a deep breath and held it as I went in.

It was not a pretty site or smell, body was decomposing, bodily fluids leaking onto the floor, it was the dead of summer and we had been having 90+ temps for about 4 of the 7 or so days the person died.

I made it though that call. Didn't take a whole lot of time since obviously the person was dead. Paramedic made a dead on scene call and off we went.

If I can make it though that call with just vicks and a mask, I can make it though pretty much anything with just vicks :lol2: Yeah I'd have to say, it works, at least for me

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