1st year student with a slight fear of needles

[rach_006]

Hi my name is Rachel and I'm going into my first year of nursing at Ryerson University. I'm really excited to go into the medical field for that's all I've ever considered doing my whole life. I wouldn't consider doing anything else but nursing although I have a big problem. The other day my boyfriend was getting his wisdom teeth taken out and I fainted when the iv was put into him. In the past I've fainted a few times while receiving needles and been a little sqeamish watching other people get needles but I thought I got over it a while ago. I was recently volunteering at a hospital in the ER and nothing bothered me although I didn't get to see too much as I was only a volunteer. I really want to go into nursing and I don't want to worry my first year about passing out in any of my placements because it would be really embarressing as a nursing student. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get over my fear of needles and has anyone else experienced a fear of needles and later became a nurse?? Thanks for your help.

[misty4kevin]

ya I just started NS August 17th also and everyone has told me that we will be practicing on each other as far as injections go.....frankly, I am not looking forward to that. I hate needles and it usually takes someone else to help give me one cause i lean away from needle lol.

[Shantik86]

I'm so glad that everyone is discussing this topic. I never considered nursing because needles totally flip me out (When I'm getting stuck.) I will do anything to get over the fear though, so it seems like practice is the key! Thanks to everyone that answered.

[leenak]

I am the complete opposite although I wasn't always that way. I used to tense up so badly that taking my blood was a pain. When I was a teen, a nurse told me that if I didn't relax, she was going to take blood from my knee. That freaked me out so badly that I learned to relax and now giving blood fascinates me. I like to watch the needle go in and see the blood flow.

[decembergrad2011, BSN, RN]

If you have the kind of phobic response to needles that includes fainting and increased heart rate, then these videos might help with some desensitation prior to you actually getting in there.

http://youtu.be/Pto_DEnWT6o

http://youtu.be/4IFfVmwVgBg

Honestly though, I agree with everyone else who said that you will be exposed often enough that you will become less affected by it over time. I don't do well with eye problems, but I know if I had to deal with it over time, I would become less bothered by it. I think injections are so much scarier in front of the clinical instructor!

[sandyfeet]

I was also terrified of needles ever since I was having an IM injection by a nurse, and as I was watching her reach towards me with the needle she exclaimed "Don't watch!!!". HER anxiety about it became MY anxiety! Ugh! So fast forward to nursing school where I am sure this is going to be a problem. I can hardly look at a needle without feeling anxiety. Luckily, my school did kind of a desensitization toward needles---first, we learned to pull up a drug, then, we practiced on rubber pillows, then we went home and practiced on oranges, etc. We gave each other shots of NS. And finally we did a flu clinic where we gave so many injections, now I don't even blink when I have to give one. So now, I think a little anxiety around needles can be a good thing because you will always be very careful with putting used needles in the sharps container, correct placement for IM vs SQ, never recapping, etc.