Oh man, anybody else have anything similar to this?

[Csb233]

I know there are fainting posts up already, I know some people think people who faint or what not should do a career choice change etc etc. So I apologize in advance for posting another fainting thread.

Anyways I am a 22 year Male old students and I am finishing up the last of my Pre Reqs for nursing school (AP, Chem, Micro) we were talking about the main vein line through the wrist, the Ulnar Artery. Then we started talking about the whole putting IV's in. I dont faint to blood, vomit, cuts, or anything of the sort but the whole wrist thing got to me. I literally dropped out of my seat and landed on the poor girl next to me. I KNOW the fainting and me having a weakness to the Wrist area is a thing I HAVE to get over asap. A change in majors is not an option.

I think it has alot to do with the fact that suicide runs in my family and that I hadnt eaten that morning or the night before.

There has to be ways to desensitize ones self to these sort of things. Any ideas?

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

Don't worry school will do you a favor, it will overwhelm you with things to do, and things to think, you wont have time to think of what makes you faint or grossed out!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I think it has alot to do with the fact that suicide runs in my family and that I hadnt eaten that morning or the night before.

There has to be ways to desensitize ones self to these sort of things. Any ideas?

I think you know what you need to do -- and it does not necessarily involve switching majors.

1. Take better care of yourself. Eat regularly, get a proper amount of rest, etc. Don't set yourself up for a problem.

2. Work through your family issues. Do you have some close friends who can talk to who would be helpful? Maybe you should talk with a counselor. Your school probably has some inexpensive resources through their student services and/or student health departments.

3. Desensitize yourself by "working up" to dealing with wrist stuff gradually. You were able to write your post without fainting, weren't you? Talk about it, think about it, visualize yourself dealing with it successfully, etc. starting with "just a little" and gradually moving up to imagine yourself working with a patient.

It might help you to remember that IV's are not usually put in the wrist. They are put in the back of the hand. And they are inserted into veins, not arteries. So, when caring for a patient with an IV, you are not dealing with the arteries in the wrist. You are usually dealing with veins in the back of the hand. Ocassionally, there will be arterial lines, or IV's placed in the lower forearms, etc. -- but that's not an everyday thing.

Good luck.

[CBsMommy]

I have never really fainted or fallen out of my seat but I did start to get queasy when we were talking about myelin sheaths and about the heart pumping blood (2 seperate occasions). I realized that it had nothing to do with the subject matter but everything to do with the fact that I had not eaten on those two days. I would def. try and keep something to eat around with you!

Also, go back and review the wrist and the veins that made you feel queasy. If they don't make you feel queasy still, then problem solved. If they do, I agree with the above poster who stated to gradually introduce yourself so you will become desensitized. Good luck!