Should I be a nurse? Fears, bodily fluids etc

[sarahamelia]

Hi everyone I haven't been on this form in a few years. Three years ago when I started college I was a nursing major no so sure they'll become a nurse that when I started to read about how difficult and competitive it is to become a nurse and how you need to deal with a lot of bodily fluids I just freaked out and decided to change my major to something easy. I've always wanted to do something in healthcare ever since I was a junior or senior in high school. I was so sure that I would do nursing but I have so many fears I just gave up.

This past week there was someone in my family that had an infection and they ended up getting sepsis and passed away. I couldn't believe I was so unaware and oblivious that I didn't know that there was an infection it was so bad it turn into sepsis. The doctor told me I didn't even know was sepsis what is I had to look it up on Google. I want to be able to know these things And understand the human body I've always been interested in these things but I just figured there would be no way that I could be a nurse. Because of what recently happened I thought maybe this could be the push to make me finally learn what I've been wanting to learn but I'm still afraid that I might not be able to handle the bodily fluids I've never even volunteered or shadowed anyone in the hospital because I've been so scared.

Last year is when I decided to change my major to something easy I wear could work behind a desk and I wouldn't have to deal with what nurses and other health professionals have to deal with. I need vice? Should I bother becoming a nurse? I just don't know what to do with myself and I'm scare that because of what happened to this person in my family what if this is short-lived what if I just want to do this because of what happened but then again is that so bad At the same time I did want to do nursing from before I look at a lot of other health careers because of my fears of gross things and hard-work and failure I just never bothered and chose a major that was easy for me. I just need help.

[Idiosyncratic, BSN, RN]

Honestly, being afraid is something I think I've heard from everyone I've talked to. I know when I got my CNA, I was mortified about bodily fluids, and what I would need to do. But honestly, it becomes second nature.

If it's something that you think you can get past, I would suggest going for it. However, if you cannot get past the bodily fluids part then perhaps you should look into a different aspect of healthcare. Unfortunately, nursing will be bodily fluids pretty consistently.

[Scrubs_n_sirens, MSN, RN]

Honestly, I think you either are psyching your self out too much or probably not cut out for nursing. And that is OK! Before you invest time and money in school, perhaps you should do some heavy duty job shadowing on different units in a hospital.

Body fluids are a regular thing in nursing world. It's really no big deal. You wear gloves, I put isolation gowns on if someone is really drippy, and you wash your hands.

Nursing school is hard. I won't lie. It is a metric poop ton of work. But it's worth it. If you TRULY want to do it, then you'll grit your teeth and do it. You have to develop a confidence over time (usually not in nursing school) to be able to save a life.

And if you decide to do a clinic job or desk work, you'll still need to be able to handle fluids in the clinical rotations.

So don't take it lightly. Seriously consider it before you do it.

[Future_GA_nurse, CNA, EMT-B]

I used to be and think the same way as the OP. However, I took an EMT class and during many of my clinicals, I saw some serious body fluid, blood, broken body parts, etc. What I found is that my apprehension of the situation in my head was not want I experienced. During each moment, I focused on what I had to do and those 'fears' were non existent.

So either take a role that does not involve what you described, or shadow someone to see if you can 'stomach' the environment. I learned from my CNA clinical that I do not want to work in LTC and that I can not deal with bad breath. However, the other stuff I can stomach..go figure. Best of luck to you.

[sarahamelia]

Honestly, I think you either are psyching your self out too much or probably not cut out for nursing. And that is OK! Before you invest time and money in school, perhaps you should do some heavy duty job shadowing on different units in a hospital.

Body fluids are a regular thing in nursing world. It's really no big deal. You wear gloves, I put isolation gowns on if someone is really drippy, and you wash your hands.

Nursing school is hard. I won't lie. It is a metric poop ton of work. But it's worth it. If you TRULY want to do it, then you'll grit your teeth and do it. You have to develop a confidence over time (usually not in nursing school) to be able to save a life.

And if you decide to do a clinic job or desk work, you'll still need to be able to handle fluids in the clinical rotations.

So don't take it lightly. Seriously consider it before you do it.

thanks I will be shadowing soon!

[emmjayy, BSN, RN]

I think you're creating a story in your head about how terrible bodily fluids are, and it's just not based in reality. I mean have you ever had to deal with them before? A baby's diaper? An ill pet weeing, puking or pooping on the floor? Donated blood? When you have to deal with something you just get on and get it done. You don't sit there and think oooh my god it might touch me, cause so what if it does. Not going to kill you, you just wash it off. Bodily fluids are not the most pleasant things, but you're building them up in your head to be this terrible thing. Do you have a phobia? If so there's only one way to deal with and that's to face your fear and realise it was a phantom. Otherwise you're just not going to be able to cope in a healthcare career.

This exactly. I used to have a fear of bodily fluids very built up in my head but then I thought back and was like.... I raised a baby. I've cleaned my child's vomit, mucus, diarrhea, blood, etc. I've helped my drunk friends with their vomiting. Sure, it's not to the same scale as dealing with C. diff or heavy bleeding, but the concept is the same. It's gross, but I needed to deal with it.... so I did, and in the moment I wasn't really worried about how "nasty" it was, I was concerned with making sure the person I was helping got to be clean and comfortable.

[CNAtonurse4]

I began my prereqs for the nursing program 2 years ago. The nursing programs were so competitive that it scared me, my grades were not the best so I began to fear working so hard and then failing. And in the end having no degree. I burned out and began to major in something "easy". It turns out that it's harder to major in something you are not passionate about. I am still undecided as to what's I want to do but I am learning about all different types of careers in the medical field. I plan to either become a pathologist assistant or a nurse. Currently I am majoring in human biology, and transferring to a 4 year university and emphasize a little more in microbiology. I guess my point is you don't have to have your life figured out yet. You can major in something health related, you can explore all aspects of the medical field. Anything health related is a lot of hard work but the medical field is such an amazing field to work in! I guarantee you if you're passionate about it, it will be worth it. Maybe you're not scare of hard work but you have not yet found what you are passionate about.

[mrphil79]

Well i I still want to try. People are sick and there will be stuff all around that I have to deal with but I've never actually seen face to face what nurses do. I'm just not accustom to things like vomit, stool, mucus etc. so at first I'll probably feel grossed out but like a lot of other nurses said you eventually get use to it. I actually don't mind bodily fluids at all but because I don't see these things on the daily I might feel weird about encountering it all of a sudden. I'm going to shadow someone this week or next week and volunteer so I can get use to these things, but I'm determined for the first time in my life.

Im sorry - but what you've said here basically renders your original post moot.

If you've already decided you want to go for it because you think you can handle the gross stuff, then why did you bother posting your original question?

[sarahamelia]

Im sorry - but what you've said here basically renders your original post moot.

If you've already decided you want to go for it because you think you can handle the gross stuff, then why did you bother posting your original question?

Because a lot of nurses use this site. I want the honest truth, I'm only determined to try. I have decided to shadow and do what I can to see if I have what it takes but I haven't completely decided weather I'll actually 'apply' to any programs. I'm really honestly hoping I can handle it but I won't know until I try and there is still a chance I won't go through with it. I'm trying to be positive and most people have said they get over the bodily fluids.

[Bonnieparker22]

I was really scared before I took my caregiving job about how I was going to feel about bodily fluids. It wasn't a problem for me at all! My advise is don't think about it too much. Get in there, clean them up, joke with them if it's appropriate, etc. You can use a little Vicks under your nose or something else that smells good, or eat a mint. And just don't breathe through your nose. You'll be fine!

[madricka, BSN, RN]

I was sooo nervous about the "gross" things in nursing but you get over it quickly -- well, I STILL can't handle vomit but that's a whole other issue. I think every nurse has a thing they don't like but in general, you do get over it. If you've never been exposed to it much before there is a lot of anticipatory anxiety -- plus the associated stress of being around people who are in pain and infectious and whatnot. The good news is that you become capable of dealing with it as you gain education and experience, so there is more control over the situation. Yes, gross things happen but you deal with it and move on. And learning things like IV insertion can make needle-phobic people afraid (the first time I did an IV I broke out in a cold sweat and thought I would pass out -- but I didn't and now I can do them in my sleep).

I've had many nursing students (and even med students) working with me and turning pale/shaky -- while you're learning it's ok to step away for a moment and settle yourself, get some water, regroup and get back to task.

(a tip for "smelly" things: I used to keep a mint teabag in my pencil case at work and if I had a particularly icky mess to deal with, I would just tuck the teabag into my mask)

As for the hard work -- is it fear of failure? Or you just don't like the discomfort/stress of working hard? One good thing about hard work is the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when you're done.