I'm pretty desensitized when it comes to visual nasties. I'm okay with seeing just about the most disgusting things in the world, I'm completely unphased. I have no problem seeing it, touching it, cleaning it, or hearing it, but...
I have a hard time with smells, my nose is very sensitive. I can't deal very good with bad smells. My stomach gets queesy, I feel like I'm going to puke. When my sisters were babies I couldn't even change their poo diapers because the smell would make me want to hurl.
I realize that in nursing, I'm going to have to deal with some pretty rancid smells, so my question is will I get used to it? Will my sensitive nose become desensitized? I don't remember becoming desensitized to visual stimulation because that happened very rapidly at a very young age.
The strong smell of pepermint masks other smells AND is good for nausea. I use it for clients.... put some pepermint oil on a cotton ball in a baggy and that way when not in use you're not smelling it. Pepermint gum is also good. I doubt the pepermint on a cotton ball is something a nurse could whip out and do though.
Not sure how I'll do on smells. It took me back when I attended my first cesarean and smelled the burning flesh as they were using the scalpel. I looked at the anestesiologist and he calmly told me to breath through my mouth. Other smells didn't bother me but that did.
I stayed in the hospital one night to take care my husband uncle, and the smell was killing me. I felt like I wanted to vomit. I don't know if I can handle it when I become a nurse, but I promise myself to imagine the patients are my family members so that I could feel better and take good care of them.
.thumb.jpg.29e5a14e836fd83c7a3261a4306f2caf.jpg){kind=small}
FLDoula
230 Posts
The strong smell of pepermint masks other smells AND is good for nausea. I use it for clients.... put some pepermint oil on a cotton ball in a baggy and that way when not in use you're not smelling it. Pepermint gum is also good. I doubt the pepermint on a cotton ball is something a nurse could whip out and do though.
Not sure how I'll do on smells. It took me back when I attended my first cesarean and smelled the burning flesh as they were using the scalpel. I looked at the anestesiologist and he calmly told me to breath through my mouth. Other smells didn't bother me but that did.