It goes without saying that to be a nurse, you need to have (or quickly develop) a strong stomach. But even with a stomach of steel, nursing kryptonite can leave you nauseated and gagging, even if only on the inside.
I'm only starting clinicals next semester, so granted, I still have much to see... but thus far in my life, the thing that disgusts me the most is, oddly enough, tonsil stones! How can something so small be so repulsive?
The that warm air (which is a mixture of b.o., unwashed private parts, urine and feces) that wafts up from a patient when you roll them to their side for care.
On their own, each is not so bad, but I hate GI bleed plus ostomy. And don't get me started with feces coming out through wounds (not new ostomies, either).
Emesis and flying sputum. Emesis engages my gag reflex EVERY time, even if I eternalize it; and adult sputum with the open trachs that they insist on coughing across the room and everywhere in-between. Really, dude?????
Vomit ! NO doubt about it, that is something I just cannot get used to.
Also lady partsl births with episiotomies. Almost fainted in the delivery room in nursing school seeing the doctor cut into this woman's perineum. Jesus be a fence.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Ambulatory Care, Military.
It's random, but I cannot handle any sort of bleeding from the male genitalia (circumcisions, vasectomies, confused pts pulling out catheters with balloons fully intact, etc.) I'll usually pass out.
During TNCC, when we got to that section I knew it was coming and I started to feel the ringing in my ears, lightheaded so I just pretended like I was going to the bathroom like nothing was wrong, went into the bathroom and passed out and came back to class, as far as I know no one was the wiser!
It's random, but I cannot handle any sort of bleeding from the male genitalia (circumcisions, vasectomies, confused pts pulling out catheters with balloons fully intact, etc.) I'll usually pass out.
During TNCC, when we got to that section I knew it was coming and I started to feel the ringing in my ears, lightheaded so I just pretended like I was going to the bathroom like nothing was wrong, went into the bathroom and passed out and came back to class, as far as I know no one was the wiser!
So I had an order to remove a foley from an ETOH with AKI patient who had pulled his foley during his acute withdrawal. He was now A&O and having good output, no blood in the urine. So I deflate the balloon and pull and a fountain of blood just poured out of his urethra. So there I am, applying pressure to this young gentleman's nether-region using the towel that I placed to catch any stray drops of urine. Mighty awkward. I later saw a large clot at the end of the foley that I must have dislodged as I pulled.
I make sure I roll them to the side where they can't see my reflection in the mirror, because I can't do it without making faces...learned that lesson the hard way.
FEET. 
I love my cat!
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The that warm air (which is a mixture of b.o., unwashed private parts, urine and feces) that wafts up from a patient when you roll them to their side for care.
I have never and will never get use to it.