The "one thing"

[DisneyNurseGal]

I am not worried about most things that I am facing when I start nursing school next month, the long hours, complex subject matter, or high expectations. I AM worried about one thing that I will encounter when I enter clinicals... vomit.

I am so sorry to be gross, but I do not deal with vomit well (ashamed to say, not even my own children's). I am terrified that when I encounter this in school that no matter what my intentions are, that I won't be able to block it out and be as professional as I need to be (vomiting on my own is a REAL possibility)

I have talked to a couple of nurses about this, and they say that all nurses have "that one thing" that grosses them out, but eventually you get over it to where it is not a problem anymore. Has anyone else encountered something similar??

Again, I am so, so, so sorry for this subject matter, I just really need some advice. I am not naive enough to think, this won't happen to me, I am just trying to get prepared.

Thanks!

[whatdoIdonow?]

Happy to say that I encountered zero vomit in my clinicals in nursing school. Maybe you will be so lucky. However, it's probably better if you have to confront it so you can conquer it and move on. The fear of it is probably worse than actually dealing with it. Best wishes! My "thing" is mucus. I could never be a respiratory therapist!

[DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN]

You know the best part about a community like this... learning that you are not alone! Discovering that even though your fears may be irrational to you, they are normal and somewhat common! Thanks to everyone for taking the time to post and share their personal stories. After reading everyone stories, I now have developed a fear of mucus.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

DENTURES for some reason...& I didn't even know til I had to remove them, rinse them, & hand them to my pt. Even tho I had a glove on, it was an uncomfortable feeling...

Yup.....dentures do it for me every time. Blech!!

But feet are infinitely worse.

[zoey88]

trach suctioning is my weakness especially when the patient gags/coughs and turns colors while your doing it. i had a patient once during clinicals that had to be suctioned atleast every hour( but it was more often than that) and had a very full container of gook in all colors right by the bedside for you to observe while you suctioned out the new stuff. totally grosses me out.

[Juniper248]

okay QUESTION. i'm going to nursing school soon too. i'm pretty worried about feces. mostly the smell, but i think the sight will get to me too.

other things i think i'd be totally fine with.

my question is, what HAPPENS if you have these so called "weaknesses." are the clinical instructors going to mad that you feel sick at first? i think i'll be able to get over it eventually, but definitely not immediately. will the clinical instructor be understanding? or mark you down for this?

[medic9872]

Mine is traumatic eye injuries.

[Brannray]

PHLEGM.

The most disgusting substance to ever have exited the human orifice. I had to look at and record the color, amount, and consistency of an LTC patient's PHLEGM back during first semester ECF clincal. YUCK. I wanted to gag on the spot. Not much squicks me, but that does. You suck it up. Glance if you have to, so you can see what you are doing, but give it no more attention than that. Mind over matter.

During clinical's last semester *first clinicals* I was TERRIFIED I was going to have to record and report phlegm!!! However I lucked out then, and didn't have to.... At some point in my future clinical's I know it's coming, and I'm so scared of how I'm going to react!!! Just THINKING about it grosses me out!!!! Lol...

[Brannray]

It's vomit for me, too. Cleaning up after my own kids or even hearing someone retch on tv makes me dry heave. I have worked on an ambulance for three years and although I haven't overcome the response yet, I get through it by chewing on a strong piece of gum on my way to every call (just in case) and breathing through my mouth. I can usually move out of line of sight of the patient until my initial reaction passes, then I'm fine.

See, having my daughter has helped me a LOT when it comes to cleaning up poop and vomit!! When I was young *like teens young and younger* my mom would clean my vomit because, well... She just did! Lol.. But now, having to do it all *I'm 26, soon to be 27* because I'm on my own raising my daughter *shes 3* and it's different when it's my daughter's poop and vomit than it is some random grown pt's... But it has helped!!! Though I have to say, I haven't had to deal with vomit in clinical's yet *though it's only been 1 semester of clinical's so far! So, hope that helps all of you who are afraid! =)

[CRNBSN18]

Would a patient be offended if I wore a mask to clean up feces? Just curious. Smells are my only thing.. Okay well besides maggots and eyeballs. Oh and dead people. Lol. I can handle kid poop, I'm just not sure about human poop. I'm sure I'll get use to it..

[sapphire18]

I can handle kid poop, I'm just not sure about human poop.

LOL, just had to point out this sentence. =P

[CRNBSN18]

Buahahaha.. Oops. Adult** poop. My bad!

[decembergrad2011, BSN, RN]

Would a patient be offended if I wore a mask to clean up feces? Just curious. Smells are my only thing.. Okay well besides maggots and eyeballs. Oh and dead people. Lol. I can handle kid poop, I'm just not sure about human poop. I'm sure I'll get use to it..

lol...I was going to say that kid poop IS human poop!

Get peppermint oil in a little vial, keep it in your scrub pocket, and dab a little on your upper lip right under your nose before entering a patient's room. Vick's vapor rub can also work, you just want something with a strong smell that will overpower the more unpleasant odors. I don't think a mask is appropriate if there are no precautions and you are not sick, but that's just me. You need to be able to communicate clearly to your patient and it may be confusing for them if you are wearing a mask when their other caregivers are not.