Vomit is not my friend

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Let me ask y'all this: how do you deal with vomit? I'm ok with poo, pee, and blood but I get the dry heaves when someone vomits or there is phlegm involved. :no: How many other of y'all have this problem or am I just a big baby? Any tips or tricks to getting around this?

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

There have actually been a few threads about this. Seems almost everyone has a least favorite body fluid, with phlegm and vomit being the lead contenders near as I can tell. (I am with you in the anti-vomit camp; I even get queasy from the little pukey "smilies" some people put in their posts!). All I can say is when I am flying thru a busy shift, all that usually registers is that my pt is suffering. I get them zofran or an order for whatever med is appropriate, give a quick look to see if any pills came back up, dump the basin or throw a towel over the mess and/ or get new linens if needed and am on to the next task. Luckily I am usually too busy to be overcome with revulsion at work-but at home I really cringe when a family member is sick.

I have read that some people rub Vicks under their nose to avoid being overwhelmed by the odor, and some people trade chores-you may have a colleague with a sputum aversion who would cheerfully deal with your puker in exchange for you doing her trach care!

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

Oops. Just saw that phlegm is on your list too. Trade for C-Diff poop or a GIB?

Good luck...Hang in there

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Specializes in Pediatric Hem/Onc.

Gum. I use cinammon, because the flavor is strong enough to do the trick. If something starts to get to you, start chewing!

One of my colleagues says all she does is breathe through her mouth, but I think that makes it worse!

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I can't stand sputum!!!!!!!! Phlegm is alright, but I cringe when I see sputum or hear the hacking. How do I deal with it? I deal with it, I've had to rush to the bathroom in a patients room keep myself from vomiting. Most nurses I know hate the sputum too. But we deal with it.

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Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

Vomit never bothered me. Maybe having 3 kids before going to school helped but sputum gross..... I still have to turn my head when I suction and it gets stuck in the catheter. Yuck!

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