Nursing, for a long time was a career that I tried to avoid because I had a very weak stomach. I feel like I made the right decision in deciding to become an RN because I am a nurturer.
There are still some things within the profession that I cannot look at though. Any procedure that I have to sit through and watch the patient wither in pain makes me slightly light headed. I am transitioning into oncology right now. I watched a bone marrow biopsy being done this week and I had to sit down half way through the procedure.
I just wanted to see what other nurses felt about this and if there was anything within the profession that they felt they could never do or watch.
There is so much in nursing that I have not experienced. So far, I haven't found something that I can't deal with. If I were to move around in different areas, I imagine the time would come.
Specializes in Tele, Renal, ICU, CIU, ER, Home Health..
The only time I've ever gagged or thrown up at work was when I was pregnant. At that time, anything would make me puke. Normally, that only thing that I can't handle is cat or dog vomit. Everyone in my house knows I can't clean it up and they give me grief over it. It's just so......fuzzy. bwuuuuuck!!!
Hairs bother me. Not a head of hair or dirty hair but, like, one single hair that gets stuck on your skin and you can feel it but can't find it right away. Or finding a hair on your work surface or stuck to your equipment.
Had a lady once in respiratory failure in horrible distress and she had this slimy yellow sputum come up in her mouth, well they (I was in clinicals in nursing school) weren't getting the suction hooked up fast enough so I stuck my GLOVED hand in her mouth and pulled the mess out. I almost lost it. Had to turn my head away and swallow many times. Instructor standing there with a screwed up look on his face. Later he told me I was going to make a good nurse. Yeah right, I almost lost my cookies.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I just wanted to see what other nurses felt about this and if there was anything within the profession that they felt they could never do or watch.
I have difficulty handling my sanity when I see family members or patients throwing temper tamtrums, and generally treating the staff horribly for no valid reason.
I can handle poop, urine, blood, sputum, sweat, mucus, wound drainage, and all of that good bodily stuff. I cannot handle abusive visitors and disgustingly selfish patients who think we are their personal slaves.
Nothing much ever did make me gag (it's only happenned 3x's in 13 years) but dirty bath water gives me the heebie-jeebies. I never have figured out why.
Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
Normally, that only thing that I can't handle is cat or dog vomit. Everyone in my house knows I can't clean it up and they give me grief over it. It's just so......fuzzy. bwuuuuuck!!!
I'm the same way my husband laughs at me because I just cover it with a paper towel until he comes home. It's even worse when it's a hairball.
I've handled everything that has come at me, (sometimes almost puking, but never did and thank God not on the patient),
Presently, I can't handle the physical demand needed due to disability, and that is killin me. Parish nursing, volunterism, anything to bring me closer back to patients is all I want and for my body to work and my lungs to function.
I have been unsuccessful in completing higher education, the brain is still way there, but my respiratory system is not.
Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.
Hello All
Okay, my big confession is this: I can handle just about ANYTHING, open, draining, infected abdominal wounds; vomit; greasy, foul-smelling stool; copious thick, green sputum; open fractures, ANYTHING.....EXCEPT a simple dislocation. I am not sure why, but you come in with your little finger slightly deformed r/t a simple dislocation and you will find me feeling dizzy with black spots in front of my eyelids, hyperventilating.
Fecal matter......and no, I haven't "gotten use to it". And no, I won't ever get use to it. I tolerate it because I HAVE to because it is part of my job.
I have a very, very sensitive gag reflex (its a reflex...I can't help it!) and I have even vomited from the putrid smells. I can't help it. I've tried.
Gosh, I will even start gagging and retching just thinking about the colostomy bag that I am about ready to change or thinking about the catheter that I have to insert on the homeless individual that doesn't wipe properly and hasn't bathed in a few months. Not gonna apologize for it. It's just the way I am.
KUDOS for all you Nurses that can handle every situation with a calm and pleasant manner.
i had a homeless guy once sooooo dirtyyyyyyy fwhe, told him go take a shower ,and he did not even want to,well i did not force it it was change of shift anyway already,i just gave him the hibicleanse solution and endorsed it to the next shift :)
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
There is so much in nursing that I have not experienced. So far, I haven't found something that I can't deal with. If I were to move around in different areas, I imagine the time would come.