Things that make you go... ehhh errmm ack!

[xt1]

I have a strong desire to become a nurse regardless of what I have to do but I can't help but cringe with I think of some things. You know the things that would have normal people turning pale. Which I may even be included in that catagory but I've never been exposed to such things and have only read about them. I plan to do what it takes to be a nurse any suggestions to desensitizing myself to things before I get to that point? Does anyone else cringe when thinking about taking care of a colostomy, cleaning feces, changing bed pans... etc... I know there are probably much worse things that I can currently imagine but you get the idea about what Im talking about. I thought about just attempting to find the most disgusting photos, and videos on the web and viewing them till they no longer make me cringe. Watching lots of discovery health channel seems to have at least made it easier to watch someone go under the knife. Ideas, comments, or suggestions?

[sweetiehrt7985]

"My biggest worry is vomit."

If you haven't read Code Blue I recommend it... Its the real life story of a nursing going from clinicals to graduation. VERY VERY good book. :)

That's one of my biggest worrys too, is whats going to be harder to handle. But I think I am definatly going to go to the library and get that book! Thanks!

[kmarie724]

Now today I get my sutures taken out (had surgery on my arm on Monday for a lipoma). No kidding, I see her bring the scissors over, my head gets lightheaded, my stomach turns; I hear the scissors snip and I black out. It's not like it hurt, but I no kidding saw black. My first thought was am I going to make it as a nurse? Or am I going to pass out when I'm doing this to other people?

Why in the world did I black out?

I can't stand to watch when I have to have something done on myself either. I could give injections to other people and watch other people get injections all day long, but I still can't stand to get it done on myself.

As far as cleaning up poop and vomit and such, I've been working as a CNA for a few weeks now and in the moment when I'm at work, it doesn't bother me at all. It's just something that has to be done. When I get home and start to think about it, I'm like "god, that was so gross. How did I do it?" I gag everytime I clean my cat's litter box, but never gag from odors at work. Weird.

[LUVtxNursing]

I get pretty grossed out by poop still, I gag every time...Actually bad smells of any kind turn my stomach...I can look at anything, but if it smells...I'm gaggin'. A little trick I learned to help get me thru those times is to put a little Vicks in each nostril....it really helps. Good luck!!

[xt1]

Time to stock up on the vicks! :)

[MIA-RN1, RN]

oh I thought of another thing----

eyes! Contacts, eye injuries etc...bleecchh

[Angie O'Plasty]

Two of the most gut-wrenching sights in the world (to me) occur outside of the hospital; those who "hack up a lung" within earshot, or the ol' "farmers nose-blowing" where he puts a finger to one nostril and shoots as far as he can.

You mean a snot rocket?

[C0in3d]

Partial or full avulsions and smells. Especially the smell of digested blood in stool. I can't stand that smell!!

[PsychGrad2BRN]

I'd have to say the bodily fluid that grosses me out the most is mucous from the throat. Last spring I was taking a course on Biology of Addiction and we watched a video on the effects of cigarette smoking. The host of the program had a container of mucous. I couldn't even watch the video, and was gagging.

About six months ago, my father was in the ER. He had a GI bleed. I watched as two nurses put a tube through his nose, then as the doctor started an IV on him. Although these were painful to watch, I managed. He had several BMs over the course of a couple of hours, and I do remember the odor, though I left the room for them to clean him up.

Here's a bit of perspective. My father passed away three weeks ago. I was at the bedside when he died, shortly after his death I touched his hand. The disgust of feeling his hand at that point trumps anything else I saw while he was alive.

[Cmariehart]

I know this one will either make someone laugh or think I'm nuts....

I hate hate hate hate IM injections... They make me dizzy and pale and I want to vomit... I can do anything else but IM injections..... EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

I had to give the other night and I called the night supervisor to come with me and she's walking me through it and at the end she says "breath" so the pt yells I am and my supervisor laughs and said no your nurse, pt took their 02 off and told me I can borrow it if I needed it...