I'm just starting out as a CNA, I just finished my first week of training. I'm going to school to be an LPN in the fall.
Today we went up on the floor for the first time, and I kind of had an anxiety attack. The smell kind of slapped me in the face, and my heart started racing and I felt sick. It took a while to get the feeling to go away, but it scared the heck out of me.
I'm fine with sight, I can handle people, I'm learning the material, but the smell gets me every time. Other's said I would get used to it, but I'm just so afraid I won't. And the thing is, I was only in the hall! What happens when I'm knee deep in, well you know.
Any advice? I'm not going to quit, even if I gagged every day. This is far too important to me. I'm just hoping for some encouraging words, and perhaps a trick or two!
I had an instructor that carried vicks vapo rub. So if she had to go into a really rancid smelling room she would put a small amount under each nostril. I never used it but its supposed to work.
I will be starting lpn school in fall but right now i am in a cna program, clinical start in 2 weeks. Where do i get the peppermint oil thta you guys are talking about please..... i do not like to smell anything that is not pleasant... please help
first peppermint oil can be found at wal mart or any grocery store down the baking asile. even vanilla can work too. vics vapo is a trick we even used when working on cadavers.
don't worry if this is important to you, you will get used to it. i remember when i started as a cna. the older cnas thought it would be funny if the sent me in for one of my first clean ups to be someone that had a huge bm everywhere. it was bad. at first all i could think about was the smell. then i just got do work and did what i had to do.
It's amazing the things you'll get used to...before I became a nurse I'd gag if I saw someone else gag LOL...Now it doesn't bother me in the least...good luck! All good suggestions on here!
lol
As a new grad, I used to have sympathy-heaves right along with my patients. Blood and the like didn't bother me, but smells, stool and emesis--- ugh.
Now I don't even bat an eye. I've either become used to it, or my nasal passages have burnt out after all these years.
The only thing that bothers me still is sputum. I could never be a RT. Can't deal with loogies, thanks but no thanks.
The only thing that bothers me still is sputum. I could never be a RT. Can't deal with loogies, thanks but no thanks.
Thank you for this post, I cracked up out loud! I'm a student and I've smelled some nasty things, but so far (thank God), I've not encountered sputum- and it's sort of been a cloud hanging over me, I'm worried that I'll lose it!
I do have to agree that it gets better with time. I've been able to eat lunch on even the smelliest clinical days (so far, at least) without any trouble. Sputum still awaits me, we'll see about lunch on that day... ugh.
first peppermint oil can be found at wal mart or any grocery store down the baking asile. even vanilla can work too. vics vapo is a trick we even used when working on cadavers.
don't worry if this is important to you, you will get used to it. i remember when i started as a cna. the older cnas thought it would be funny if the sent me in for one of my first clean ups to be someone that had a huge bm everywhere. it was bad. at first all i could think about was the smell. then i just got do work and did what i had to do.
you'll be ok.
thank you i will go shopping for that this afternoon.
I know this may sound simplistic, but I swear it works! Breathe through your mouth! It took me a while to master this without having to concentrate on it, but it helps soooo much. Also, if you happen to be wearing a mask, try and find some peppermint oil, or some benzoin adhesive swabs or vials and spread that on the front of the mask. I do this is the OR all the time, the smells we get in there..., I dont even want to think about...lol
:monkeydance:
Good idea!! It's a matter of training yourself. When I had to clean up my first poopy mess as a student - I started gagging. I went into the bathroom and had a serious talk with myself about how the patient was going to feel if I was gagging around. I got over it. And breathing thru your mouth does help.
Now, yesterday I went to babysit for my son's kids - they have two cats - I don't like cats - and that's all I could smell all day was cat poop! Looked everywhere, couldn't find any, except the litter box!
Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..
Sputum never got used to sputum!! Can tolerate the niffiest of BM's ,dirty wounds etc but sputum egh! I'm not the only one either,even our dep.manager says she would rather do a dirty wound than collect sputum.
Strangly I also have a thing about belly buttons/Umbilicus what ever you want to call them,hate cleaning them......weird.
Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..
Those little tins of vaseline that you buy for your lips are very handy you can slip one in your pocket and just rub some round your nose if you think you need it.
MelodyRNurse
255 Posts
I had an instructor that carried vicks vapo rub. So if she had to go into a really rancid smelling room she would put a small amount under each nostril. I never used it but its supposed to work.