how did you learn to deal with blood, et. al.?

bloodytom · Jul 9, 2006

i used to feel a little sick when i see lots of blood (esp during delivery) but i think i got over it by exposing myself often. it helped me, although i dont know if it could help you or anyone.

gracediwa · Jul 10, 2006

I started with taking care of our injured pets. And often told myself that if I really wanted to be a nurse I have to face the facts that blood, other body fluids and the yucky stools will be part of my life.

My experience on the SICU- catching "lolo's poopoo" with my gloved hand. Oh my I can feel the warmth of it!! And no amount of face mask can take the smell off my olfactory. And while I was doing that, I kept telling myself that think of the "old man" as your grandpa. I feel sorry for him.

Oh and cleansing the perinium of a patient with colostomy who's also having her monthly period!! Well I just tell myself... it's just blood.. you also have that evry month. But of course there's so much difference.

bloodytom · Jul 11, 2006

dont push yourself

if you feel sick, just sit for a while, away from the blood

but you have to increase your tolerance as time goes by

we have to face it whether we like it or not

jitan06 · Jul 11, 2006

Nothing is more refreshing than the smell of burning flesh in the morning, hehe, if the sight of blood affects you wait til you get to smell the smoke from a cautery. bloodytom is right, expose yourself enough and you might get used to it after a while. Imagine this, you have an ex-lap and the surgeon takes out a liter worth of hematoma from the abdomen and drops it in front of you.

You just learn to accept them for what they are (they are just fluids) and hope to the heavens that none of them hit your face. As for me I just scrub in everyday, the smell from the cautery though still gets me nauseous sometimes.

bloodytom · Jul 11, 2006

yeah, that burning flesh smell from the cautery is not so good too

and a double mask is useless

even if they suction the smoke that comes out of it, you can't help if it reaches your nostrils

IseeU_rn · Jul 11, 2006

Blood is easier to deal with compared to other fluids, i think. With body fluids and blood, tissue, bone, and/or fat that are exposed (wait until you take care of patients with decubitus ulcers) when I'm looking at a wound or whatever it is, I don't think of it like it belongs to a person. I kinda just deal with whatever is in front of me and focus on that. I think this is how surgeons deal with all the cutting and bloody mess,as well (besides the sterility issue) they cover everything and expose only the area they are dealing with. As with poops, it still makes my stomach churn, it's something i have never learned to deal with adults so i switched to babies... Poops are either meconium or from breastmilk... no veggies floating, yaddamean?!

nrswnabee · Jul 11, 2006

thanks guys. i figure from your responses that "feeling" versus "task" just need to be "compartmentalized" and, bloody hell, get the job DONE!!! wish me strength as i teach myself and my stomach to toughen up. i also hope i don't cause my patients too much discomfort/embarrasment feeling their nurse's clammy hands and seeing her turning paper white.... :trout:

IseeU_rn · Jul 13, 2006

thanks guys. i figure from your responses that "feeling" versus "task" just need to be "compartmentalized" and, bloody hell, get the job DONE!!! wish me strength as i teach myself and my stomach to toughen up. i also hope i don't cause my patients too much discomfort/embarrasment feeling their nurse's clammy hands and seeing her turning paper white.... :trout:

Goodluck! I remembered when I worked with the big people (ie, adults) I used to gown up, double glove and wear a mask when I had to perform a "code brown"... talk about contact precautions, huh?! :chuckle

deidrake_1031 · Jul 13, 2006

i agree with bloodytom a lot....EXPOSURE to them (blood, feces, bodily fluids) is the CURE!!!

i sure got over it by being near them...