SO nervous - any help here?

CuriousMe · Nov 30, 2008

Hey guys. I'm a 23 year old female and have a B.A. in psychology. I'm really interested in going for my nursing degree, but it would be a huge undertaking. I would need to get 6 different prereqs (I was *not* a huge science/math person in college, and my AP credits from high school counted for them in college - so I didn't have to take Bio or Chem or any of that stuff). I really think that I could buckle down and DO this, get the prereqs, and apply and get into nursing school.
HOWEVER.
There's one huge thing that's holding me back.
Catheters.
No seriously. I know everyone has their own "oh, gross" sort of thing, whether it be vomit, or poop, mucus, open wounds, whatever. I can deal with any/all of that - or rather, I think that some of them are kind of gross, but I'm confident that I'll eventually become used to it, or desensitized... But I will not, can not put a catheter in. Just reading about them online makes me woozy. And not in the "oh well I'm a little woozy now but I'll get over it when I actually have to do it." Like, No. No catheters. GAH! -shiver-
Literally, this ONE thing is making me doubt nursing school.
I might not try for nursing school, and those damn catheters will be at fault.
What can I do?!?! Will I, in fact, just get over it, and be able to deal with it?
I'm getting woozy and squeamish right now just thinking about it.

I'm sorry to say that I think you're the only one who can answer your question. Even if there's someone out here that has gone through the same exact thing, that would be their decision and resolution.....it's going to be a personal decision on your part as to whether this is something you can do.

I wish you the best!

Peace,

CuriousMe

Zana2 · Nov 30, 2008

I'm trying to understand here. I've got 'my thing that i can't do', and that's giving mouthcare with the pink sponges on broken teeth, they catch and I get the same reflex as you do when you sneeze, I shut my eyes and shudder quite violently, I honest to god tried, i'm not a whimp, I just can't do it. Toothbrush is fine, the mere sight of pink sponges throws me into a fit.

What's your problem with the catheters?

dimargar77 · Nov 30, 2008

If I were seriously wanting to do the whole nursing thing and the only thing holding me back were the catheters.... I would go to the school lab and get a catheter kit and just mess with it for however long it takes you to become comfortable with it, and even the procedure, slowly dig up info on catheters, like maybe kidney dysfuctions or certain preop surgeries. Dont let something this small deter you from a rewarding career! Take control!!

richo_006 · Nov 30, 2008

Yep! Desensitize yourself from this catheter thing. Good luck to you. Hope you decide on what's best for you. :up:

averna · Nov 30, 2008

I'm trying to understand here. I've got 'my thing that i can't do', and that's giving mouthcare with the pink sponges on broken teeth, they catch and I get the same reflex as you do when you sneeze, I shut my eyes and shudder quite violently, I honest to god tried, i'm not a whimp, I just can't do it. Toothbrush is fine, the mere sight of pink sponges throws me into a fit.
What's your problem with the catheters?

I'm not sure. Sticking something up there just gives me the shivers. In my mind (the irrational part of my mind, that is), it's more invasive than open heart surgery.

Funny though, the mouthcare thing you're talking about - I read that and was like, oh. huh. ok. That doesnt sound gross at all. /lol

Thing is - trying it out on a dummy I'd be fine with. It's the thought of inflicting pressure or pain... up... in that area. With all that soft tissue... and you can't *see* where you're putting it. -shiver-

it's funny because there's soft tissue EVERYWHERE on the human body. Weird.

I dont know. Does that explain it a little better?

Plus, thanks for all the input so far, guys. You don't even know how appreciative I am.... thank you. :redbeathe

jpeters84 · Nov 30, 2008

From the outside of nursing school the idea of catherters is kinda crazy. It seems like such an invasion of privacy but after you realize you do pericare all the time and you're up in people's business a lot you get passed thinking like that. They do a pretty good job of desensitizing you in nursing school. Once you're in the environment of nursing school and you realize it's a fairly soft pliable rubber tube that goes into the bladder and is really not that big of a deal I think you'll be fine with it. I always had a woozy thing about catheters prior to nursing school. For some reason I thought it was a needle attached to a tube that was placed in the urethra. Once I had to do it for class and then clinical you have so much going on, you have like two days to learn it, it's the least of your worries, you learn the steps, get it up there and it's really not a biggie. We all have our things that make us woozy, but you just have to push through it. If this is seriously the only thing holding you back and you really want to become a nurse with all of your heart I say go for it. But if you're not sure about becoming a nurse overall, it's too long and hard a road to go down without an intense desire to be a nurse. I hope this helps!

Zana2 · Nov 30, 2008

Averna,

you'll be fine.You do get desensitized, once you know exactly what you are doing.

I was the type who could not watch surgery on NipTuck, 3 years down the line I'm itching to get a job in the theatres (O.R. i think they're called at your end).

Your heart is in the right place, you're worried about the patient. You'll be fine.

hunydew2262 · Dec 1, 2008

Zana, I STILL can't watch surgery on TV! I love going to live surgeries. Go figure.

Ask yourself why you want to be a nurse. It is not a glory job. There will always be interventions you will not enjoy. How badly to you want to be a healer? It is not the easiest degree. Alternately, if your patient is in pain and can't urinate, they will WANT you to cath them. Sometimes it's all about the perspective.

For what it's worth, I'm finishing my second med-surg rotation and I've yet to insert a cath. I've taken a few out, but most of my clients come from the ER or OR with their cath in. If I needed to do it, I could and I probably WILL do it when I get to L&D.

Good luck and sorry for the caps. I've been studying for exams and I'm a little drain bamaged.

Huny

NewenglandMSNRNBC, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 1, 2008

This sounds like me exactly! I knew when I started school that I would have a tough time with catheterizations. The first one I had to do second semester was pretty rough. Just the thought of it before going into the patient's room made me light headed. I am going into my last semester and I have seen and done a few since and it does become somewhat easier. You just have to keep thinking that the patient will feel so much better after the thing is in.

Don't let it stop you from going to nursing school. There are always different things that students will have a hard time doing. We even had a student pass out from packing a wound.

Good Luck!

just_cause, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2008

averna,

Everytime you think of catheters give yourself a peanut m&m.

In fact, keep a pocket full of m&ms nearby... soon you will salivate at the mere thought of catheters!

Joking aside - do not let this deter you. Everyone has there 'eww thing' and you sound to squared away to let this mental block hold you down.

v/r

averna · Dec 1, 2008

Hehe, lol@ just cause.

Positive reinforcement for the win!!

Thanks so much guys. Appreciate the feeback ^^