So today, I almost passed out ....

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So I have been getting health care experience for about 5 months and I normally work in wound care with PT where I see some pretty gory stuff like necrotizing fasciitis and many other pretty wild things- which I love. Well today was my first day to volunteer in the Neuro ICU. The RN asked me if I wanted to come in and see a Neuro Assessment, which I definitely wanted to. This guy was bad, real bad, as she was showing me everything she noticed that white matter was coming out of his nose. It was a lot. I don't know what got to me but a couple minutes later my knee's buckled and I was really light headed. I caught myself, went out of the room, ate a breakfast bar, got some composure and went back in about ten minutes later to finish. It was just wild cause nothing has ever affected me like that. I'm not changing my mind about nursing cause it is definitely where I see myself but that was an experience I will not forget.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

ah heck, we all have our limits. For me it is anything respiratory. Blood and guts do not phase me but a wet cough sends me over the edge. You are a nurse, but you are also human.

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Specializes in ER.

Hugs to you. When I was a student I passed out at something much less gory than that! It happens!

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LOL. You know, my friend told me that she felt queasy over seeing a mole get excised. She told me that she thought it was pathetic, since being nearly "elbow" up in guts did not phase her. You are fine.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Well seeing someone's brains coming out of his nose is kind of difficult. Good recovery though...

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Don't feel bad. I can handle anything......except loose teeth. OMG, that sends me over the edge. And I had no idea until I became a school nurse and the first kid came in with a dangling tooth. I could handle it better if a kid walked in with an amputated arm than a loose tooth!

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I passed out as a student nurse working as a CNA. I was assisted a nurse put in a foley, curtains drawn around the bed, not much air flow and before I was on the floor, then to the ER. My parents had to pick me up. The other time was helping do a very intense dressing change on a decub that had been debrided in the sacrum, bones, muscles etc showing. and I started feeling hot and sweaty, had to leave the room. I've been a nurse over 20 years . It doesn't mean you aren't cut out for this kind of work.

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Don't feel bad. I can handle anything......except loose teeth. OMG, that sends me over the edge. And I had no idea until I became a school nurse and the first kid came in with a dangling tooth. I could handle it better if a kid walked in with an amputated arm than a loose tooth!

LOL - Me too! When my daughter's first lost tooth came out in my fingers I nearly passed out (had to sit with my head between my knees, the whole nine yards). My DH asked if it was the blood that was bothering me (like a tiny drop). I said "No! I've seen pools of blood! It's the tooth, I can't take it!". He thought I was crazy, but it's my "thing" - everybody has one.

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Specializes in Research & Critical Care.

I can't wait to get to the good stuff like that. I've never seen it firsthand, and sure I might change my mind then, but I love watching Discovery Health and seeing how they handle the really bad cases. It amazes me how they can pull the flesh off someones head, expose the skull and operate, then put it all back together. My thing is needles and my veins...I can watch them go into anyone else all day long, but I get lightheaded just thinking of one going into my own vein.

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During my first round of clinicals during nursing school I was watching a dressing change, felt funny so excused myself, started walking down the hall. I remember grabbing the rail, and the next thing I remember is one of the LTC nurses there and my clinical instructors name being called overhead.

I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I sat for awhile, they did a BS abd gave me a snack and finally my clinical instructor said... "Could you be pregnant?"

Guess what I found out that night.... and what came about 7 months later....

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Specializes in OB-GYN.

My thing is spinals. I cannot deal with that needle going into the back. Once it's there, no big deal - until then I have to turn my head away and even the thought can be rough.

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My thing is spinals. I cannot deal with that needle going into the back. Once it's there, no big deal - until then I have to turn my head away and even the thought can be rough.

Me too. I got tagged to "assist" a bedside LP during my first semester of nursing school. I was great until that needle went in. Luckily I made it out of the room and into a chair before the lights went out... :D

Getting ready to start my last semester now and I've seen lots more stuff. But I am sure I have more blacking out ahead of me in nursing career -- it happens to the best of us! My clinical instructor said someone goes down every semester.

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