I've gotta real problem...Any suggestions Pls?

[night owl]

i've got this problem... you know how everyone has their little quirk in nursing? well, mine is vomiting...i can't stand the retching, and retching and retching sound before one vomits. well i have this resident who does nothing but vomit. possible hiv, but refuses to test. he's lost significant amt of wt. and says he's been doing this for over a month. he just came to us on wednesday. i worked with him on wed. night for thurs, and then i had three days off. tonight i have to go back and i dred every stinking minute of it. i have to practically carry a basin with me whenever i hear him start retching. i can't stand it! does anyone have any suggestions on how i'm supposed to over come this??? i just don't know what to do. :stone :stone :stone :imbar :stone :stone :stone

[night owl]

i was really lucky because he didn't vomit at all my shift. over my days off nurses that took care of him seem to think that his vomiting is self induced. :stone the only thing he did do the entire shift was was call me to his room to say he needed a medical dr. because he has "lice bugs crawling all over him." i said where, let me see. of course i didn't see anything so i told him i'll be right back and came back with a bottle of "anti lice bug lotion" and told hin that this should do the trick. all it was was moisturizing lotion, but after i rubbed it all over him, he slept like a baby. i saved his meds for last incase he was going to do the retching thing. the other wonderful nurse i was working with asked if i needed a hand and i told her that i would love her to death if she gave mr. so-n-so his meds she did and i didn't stick around to listen for anything and i was out of there to give report. he does have an im compazine order for n&v. i was lucky last night, but one never knows what tonight will bring maybe just a pair of earplugs if he starts it again. thanks for all of the great suggestions! one night i'll walk into his room with vicks vaporub under my nose, along with mentholadeum, an alcohol wipe stuck to that, a surgical mask, some carmex lip balm all over my lips, earplugs in my ears and a syringe of compazine in my hand and i'll be ready to "fight the fight!" oh, the joys of nursing.......thanks guys, you're the greatest! :kiss

[SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN]

...thanks for all of the great suggestions! one night i'll walk into his room with vicks vaporub under my nose, along with mentholadeum, an alcohol wipe stuck to that, a surgical mask, some carmex lip balm all over my lips, earplugs in my ears and a syringe of compazine in my hand and i'll be ready to "fight the fight!" oh, the joys of nursing.......thanks guys, you're the greatest! :kiss - night owl

...why not just barf with him...i'll bet he'll stop self inducing then....especially if you projectile vomit towards him ...heeeee.....lol :roll

sorry folks.......couldn't resist the urge....heeee....lol!!! - moe

[SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN]

originally posted by mother/babyrn

...my personal hatred is taking care of false teeth, not that i see that too often anymore...but, i wouldn't touch them when a patient handed them to me, and absolutely hated it when some one asked me to clean them!...:)

i even hate to have to label them when they're clean.... i only pray that i don't lose my teeth & have to wear them...i'll probably gag myself each & every time i go to put them in & take them out!!! :imbar - moe.

[prmenrs, RN]

One suggestion--try to find a hypnotherapist and see iff they can help you w/ the mental thing. Just a thought...Must feel awful!

[LiznTexas]

Try this trick next time you start heevin'.......puff out your cheeks like a blow fish....it's impossible to puke.

Oh and here's another trick for next time you wanna fall asleep.....good for the drive home after a long night shift. Do the same thing and tickle the roof of your mouth with your tongue. You won't fall asleep.

There. Hope that helps

Liz

[RNforLongTime]

I used to take care of this chronic renal pt--was on dialysis and a very brittle diabetic. She was relatively young--38. She would purposefully try to make herself throw up! Staff-myself included-would actually catch her putting her finger down her throat. Would always try to get her compazine as soon as she could. That and the morphine and ativan. Did I mention that she had an extensive psych history as well? She and her mom loved me though. She was a real sick lady. When I first started caring for her she would walk up and down the hall moaning, when she died she couldn't even sit herself up in bed.

[Jenny P]

Night Owl, I CANNOT tolerate retching OR puking-- after 33 years as an RN (plus the 6 yrs. before that as an aide and PN); I still can't stand it. So I tell all of my pts. that if they start puking, so will the nurse. And if they have any problems with a queasy stomach they are to let me know ASAP so I can medicate them. That has really helped me a lot; because: a.) they all ask for the antiemetics right away; b.) most people who are nauseated want their nurse to help them, not join them when they are vomiting. I also tell pts. and family that "bodily fluids" belong IN tubes (I work CV-ICU), so they are usually sympathetic and amused. :)