I have a "weak" stomach.

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20 years ago, I worked for a plastic surgeon as a receptionist. I told him of my dream to be a nurse. He allowed me to "assist" him with a procedure once. The procedure consisted of a patient who had some fluid build up? after a tummy tuck. He took a long syringe and proceeded to draw the fluid from her abdomen at which point I turned green and nearly passed out. My dream bubble had burst and I started telling myself I'd never be able to hack it. I was once told that this is something that you get accustomed to, that things like this don't bother you as much after awhile. So, I'm just curious if any of you are worried about this or do you all have iron stomachs?

Just curious.

Thanks.

Jen

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Specializes in Dialysis.

no, no iron stomachs here....I now and will forever hate feces, vomit, blood everywhere and mucous. It's something you get used to dealing with and I can talk about anything without getting grossed out, but when you are there in that situation, you can get a little green around the gills. I knew someone who was in an OB clinical watching an epidural being placed and the sight of the needle going into the woman's spine made her pass out cold....now she is an awesome RN!!! If this is ur dream...give it a shot. You'll know in the first semester or two if you are cut out for it!! Good luck in any decision you make!!!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I passed out in clincal two different times:

1. Scrubbed in to 'assist' in a tubal ligation

2. Observing a chest tube insertion.

I graduated three months ago and am now working as an RN. I just know I will never go near the OR!

We all have things that 'gross us out.' Dentures also turn my stomach....

All the Best,

Diane, RN

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

We all have things that 'gross us out.' Dentures also turn my stomach....

All the Best,

Diane, RN

Me too! And feet.........I find feet utterly revolting. Give me a stage IV decub liberally laced with Pseudomonas any day, I'd rather do the wet-to-dry on that bad boy than cut somebody's long, yellow claws! YECCCCCHHHHHHH!!

I will say, though, that I have a cast-iron stomach. I CAN deal with dentures and feet; I simply choose NOT to and will delegate those responsibilities any time I possibly can.

I wasn't always this way, though. Before I decided to become a nurse, I couldn't even clean up my own kids' vomit without blowing my groceries. But when I started clinicals, I forced myself into repeated exposures to gross, smelly, retch-inducing bodily functions and wounds, and after a few perilous forays into GI bleeds and trach suctioning, I developed some resistance. Now my youngest son is in CNA classes, and he's got the weakest stomach on the face of the earth; if HE can do it, I think anyone can!:up:

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
Me too! And feet.........I find feet utterly revolting. Give me a stage IV decub liberally laced with Pseudomonas any day, I'd rather do the wet-to-dry on that bad boy than cut somebody's long, yellow claws! YECCCCCHHHHHHH!!

Long, yellow toenails/claws... Yuck.. I'd rather empty a fresh post-op colostomy bag than trim those buggers...

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when i first told everyone i wanted to be a nurse a year and a half ago, i couldnt even tell you how many people laughed at me! i was always the one to get grossed out the first, couldnt watch surgery on tv and even couldnt handle watching horror movies bc of the gore. i had the most sensitive stomach to EVERYTHING! So I got a job at a tech before nursing school and i was petrified at first, but i found out, when its your own patient and they are your responsibility, its weird.. its like i dont get grossed out anymore. its just my job. i dont think of it as gross stuff... but i do have to second the dentures thing.. i gotta turn my head for that!

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Specializes in Critical Care-Neuro/Trauma ICU.

Glad to know I'm not the only one with a toenail issue!!!! YUCK!!! They freak me out!!! I don't mind wound care, vomit, blood, feces...any of that...my enemies are gross toenails, sputum (ICK!), and C. diff...those are the worst to me. Trust me...we all have our downfalls!!! But you'll be a great nurse! You will get used to most of it enough to get the job done! I find that my compassion overrides my being grossed out. I just want to make the patient more comfortable or feel better (because trust me..they don't like sitting in poopy briefs ANYmore than you like to change them) so I don't even think about it when I'm in the situation. Good luck with school! You will do just fine!

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oh ha ha I thought I was the only one who can't do feet! except baby feet- love them!

Everyone has certain things that make them gag. I can handle blood, barf, poop....but not sputum! oh yucky!

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Specializes in Psych.

im with you guys, anything but sputum. which is why I work in psych! :barf01:

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

i like blood , hate the fecals , urines, etc .

adam

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20 years ago, I worked for a plastic surgeon as a receptionist. I told him of my dream to be a nurse. He allowed me to "assist" him with a procedure once. The procedure consisted of a patient who had some fluid build up? after a tummy tuck. He took a long syringe and proceeded to draw the fluid from her abdomen at which point I turned green and nearly passed out. My dream bubble had burst and I started telling myself I'd never be able to hack it. I was once told that this is something that you get accustomed to, that things like this don't bother you as much after awhile. So, I'm just curious if any of you are worried about this or do you all have iron stomachs?

Just curious.

Thanks.

Jen

HA! if you can handle this descriptive thread, you'll be fine. eventually.

i graduate in december, and i was gung-ho about the o.r. even orthopedic o.r.! guess who had to be escorted out when a central line was being placed in our o.r. patient! but, i got some more food in me, and went right back in.

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I think you get used to things. I hated to watch surgeries/blood/needles ect before I started my program as a surgical tech... Now I love any and all of it. You can do it!!!

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