Im terrified of elevators and im trying to be a nurse...

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Yep you heard it right.. I am terrified of elevators. This sudden fear came up just about a year ago (worst timing ever) Im not exactly sure how to kick this fear, and I was always worried that this fear would keep me from becoming a nurse. Any other nurses out there with this fear?? One thing is for sure.. I'll be taking the stairs.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I am not thrilled with elevators! Frankly there was a time I was terrified of them...actually I am claustraphobic. Unfortunately I had to get over it when transporting a patient to the floor on a gurney or transporting a code to ICU.

I just had to suck it up. I have been stuck in an elevator a few times with a patient and it took every ounce of self control to remain calm. I love that we have cell phones now so I can call for help for the few times I was stuck....that stupid phone was not working.

I was once stuck in an elevator in an old part of the buiding without an emergency phone and my cell had no signal...there was no one around it was 3am. I was a supervisor at the time and to get to the staffing office you had to go outside OR go through the creepy basement to get to that elevator. I always went outside...except when there was a blizzard...ADMIN heard about the unsafe condition of that elevator in the morning. I WAS A VERY UNHAPPY CAMPER....:mad:...but was able to laugh by 6am...LOL

It will be ok...((HUGS))

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haha GAH that is horrible! I can ride elevators but the whole time im on it i just have to look down and count backwards starting at 100. I am also very scared of tight places as well. It makes me so sick! Hopefully I will never get stuck on one.

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I never used to be fearful of things but since having kids a few years ago I have quite a lot of anxiety that has suddenly popped up! Irrational things even that have a low likelihood of happening like going on walks in my neighborhood (scared of being attacked by a dog!), flying (what if we crash!), and yes even a simple ride in an elevator can raise my anxiety nowadays! I try to just take deeper breaths, but every jolt gives me a panicked looking face much to the amuse of those riding with me!

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I think these things can be overcome. Before I went to nursing school, I feared blood & guts; I also passed out almost every time I had blood drawn or got an injection. A wise doctor told me not to let my fear of blood, guts, & needles hold me back from pursuing a career in healthcare because you get desensitized to it, so I went for it. Maybe the same applies for fear of elevators???

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Specializes in PCCN.

yes.I still have this "problem".Ive just learned to deal with it as I hate taking the stairs. I'm ok getting in, but man, if it stops or isn't working right , I do start to panic.But I try to deal.

Also , used to have a problem with parking garages- lol , that's a dumb one.I'm fairly over that due to repetition, and that II have no where else that I am allowed to park

Oh, yeah,did I mention claustrophobia?Found that one out when needing an MRI. ughh.As a nurse I sympathize with those pts who are the same.I usually go down with them for their test.(of course, getting on the elevator,lol)

So,no ,these problems haven't stopped me from being a nurse.

I guess repetition has helped me deal with elevators and parking garages.Can't get past the MRI thing w/o meds tho.:(

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
yes.I still have this "problem".Ive just learned to deal with it as I hate taking the stairs. I'm ok getting in, but man, if it stops or isn't working right , I do start to panic.But I try to deal.

Also , used to have a problem with parking garages- lol , that's a dumb one.I'm fairly over that due to repetition, and that II have no where else that I am allowed to park

Oh, yeah,did I mention claustrophobia?Found that one out when needing an MRI. ughh.As a nurse I sympathize with those pts who are the same.I usually go down with them for their test.(of course, getting on the elevator,lol)

So,no ,these problems haven't stopped me from being a nurse.

I guess repetition has helped me deal with elevators and parking garages.Can't get past the MRI thing w/o meds tho.:(

Yeah MRI's not my fave AT ALL. I was stuck in one after it broke...now you need to give me general anesthesia to get me in one now. I've tried the med thing...no bueno. I don't have anxiety usually and never had a panic attack....until a recent MRI attempt...with 4 mgs po Ativan....AFTER the exam I slept for almost 24 hours straight. During the attempt to do the exam...NO GO! I was so embarrassed...I was a mess. Then they looked at each other, rolled their eyes and said...and she's a nurse?

MRI people...the fear is very real and some people (me) just can't "Suck it up"

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

I used to have nightmares about being in an elevator and the cables snapped, plummeting me down,down, down, faster and faster, bumping against the elevator shaft walls as it went. (sorry, I realize this description is not helpful to you guys!) In my nightmare, I would try to jump up off the floor so that when the elevator finally hit bottom, my legs would not be broken. HA! As if the laws of physics would change and I would be 'saved' by that action!

Anyway, these dreams happened while I was working on the ninth floor of a hospital.....and their elevators had a bad habit of stopping at the floors either a foot above or a foot below where it was supposed to be stopping. I can tell you, many was the morning I eyed that 1 ft. discrepancy and walked up NINE flights of stairs!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Fear of elevators would be no good if you are in an area where all facilities are multi-floor...otherwise a quick fix is only take a job on a single floor building. Or maybe two stories, not so many stairs then.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

No problems with elevators, but escalators ... It's a dizziness thing to get on when either going up or down. I seem to be able to get off the escalator pretty much OK. I stand there watching and rocking to step on but then step back; do this routine several times. Strangers have even stood by to help but I still have problems.

Have the same issue with MRIs as y'all. I have the tech talk to me every couple of minutes over the intercom inside the 'cave'. They do talk to me, God love them. It helps me through.

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Specializes in ICU.

I remember when I used to run up and down the stairs during my break at work, simply for exercise. Now after years of nursing, I take the elevator. My knees are shot.

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Well, I'll be straight about this:

You could not work in my department if your fear of elevators is debilitating because we do transports each and every shift and there's no way to get the patients to where they need to go without using an elevator.

The good news is that even severe phobias can generally be overcome with the assistance of an expert therapist and desensitization.

You should seek out same as soon as possible.

I'm borderline phobic about heights, but only in certain contexts and, thus far, I've always been able to get through it (though interestingly, it seems to be intensifying as I age).

One thing I would do if I were afraid of elevators is invest some time and energy in learning the details about how they're designed, built, and maintained because, frankly, the odds of freefall in a modern elevator are vanishingly small and rational reasoning can be one piece of overcoming a phobia.

All the best to you.

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