Will I have to deal with a lot of blood in nursing school?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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So I am really thinking about applying to my local nursing program. I have already worked in the health care field (dental assistant) and know I want to stay in this field. I just want to do something other than teeth, lol. Anyways, I can't seem to find a really good answer on whether or not RN students have to deal with tons of blood in nursing school? I can handle a scrape or a small cut that is dripping blood I just can't handle an arm being ripped off and seeing the blood and the bone...

I have also considered just doing the LVN program and working in a nursing home or somewhere outside of the hospital. Would this be better for me since I can't handle much blood? I seem to be fine with everything else (vomit, poop, saliva, etc.) its just a lot of blood at once my body seems to go crazy and makes me a little dizzy. I live in California by the way so I am not sure how different the RN programs are throughout the country.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

Do you mean school nursing or nursing school? Either way, at any time you could be exposed to a lot of blood. Not usually in the school setting, but at any moment there could be something off the wall to happen. And, since the nurse is usually the only medical person in the building you would be the "go to".

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If you can't handle blood do not go into school nursing or nursing school!! :D

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I didn't see a whole lot of blood in nursing school but as an LPNS who works LTC I do. I draw blood, start IVs and I see GI bleeding. Just to warn you, you typically won't see this in nursing homes but I was a new LPN had worked for two months, I had a pt with an undiagnosed aneurysm rupture. He called me in the room, said he didn't feel good, passed out and as I lowered him to the floor he was choking on his blood. I ran to another room and grabbed suction.. There was too much blood. Ended up sending him outI hospital and he was already gone. This doesn't typically happen and when it did I was really in shock for a while. But I'm just sayin that yes if you are going to be a nurse, wherever you are, you will see blood. You may not see a lot or you might. I got used to all the "gross" stuff though.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.

Yes, you will see blood oozing out of every orifice, and even orifices you didn't know could ooze blood, all the time.

Brace yourself!

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We don't get enough guts, other than kids vomiting their guts up.. Lots of vomit!

True Story: The secretary at my school hates blood, so a tiny amount she thinks bloody massacre. One day she calls me to the boys bathroom because a kid apparently is having a nose bleed. *"She says, There is a kid in the bathroom bleeding all over the place." I get there the kid is like my nose isn't bleeding at all now. :( I was expecting blood all over the floor, on the kid everywhere.. NOPE..... #wastedadrenalinrush!

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Welcome to allnurses.com

Thread moved from School forum to Pre-Nursing forum.

Please note that several off-topic posts were removed.

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I think it would really be impossible for anyone to say with certainty whether or not you'd see blood, or how much blood, or where it's coming from, while you're in a nursing program.

You would have to expect and be prepared to see it no matter what, though. In school, in any program RN or LPN you would have med-surg and would need to learn to change wound dressings, and they can be quite bloody. Drainage tubes also are bloody. You might see bloody foley drainage.

In the ED, blood and plenty. In OB, I think you guessed it, there's going to be blood. Pre-op, post-op, more blood.

Not every patient is going to be bleeding LOL but you should not plan to not see blood. You should plan on plenty. If you honestly cannot possibly deal with blood I don't know you'd do too well in school. As a student you can't choose your assignments.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

You may or may not see it in school. But you will see it eventually. If you can't handle it, nursing is probably not the field for you.

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Well, you'll probably see ulcers. I find stage 3-4 ulcers more gruesome than blood.

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Specializes in CVICU CCRN.

You may be surprised how quickly you get used to those sights. Some people feel faint at the sight of blood because they have a vasovagal response and it's hard to get over, but if it is just a degree of discomfort you will likely become desensitized fairly quickly.

I personally don't tolerate active vomiting very well, but enjoy traumas and big surgeries. A lot depends on what specialty you end up entering, of course. In school I got to hang a lot of blood because we had extended rotations on oncology units. Maybe try volunteering with your local blood bank and see if that helps you get over it and determine whether it is the sight of blood itself or if it's the sight of trauma that makes you uncomfortable. Trauma is a bit easier to avoid. Good luck!

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Blood can happen in any setting! One of my first clinical experiences involved doing a veinipuncture --well I was SOOO nervous about getting the vein. Luckily I did without any problem and then....well..... I was so happy that I got the vein, that I pulled the needle out before I took the tourniquet off--blood everywhere! Uhmmm yeah, not one of my finer moments!

Honestly, chances are you will get used to seeing blood and it won't be a huge deal. But now, after having completed nursing school, I feel that I can safely say that blood is not one of the worst things I've seen ! ;)

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