worried about becoming faint in clinicals

Hi everyone,

I am starting nursing school this fall and I am very excited! I work as a C.N.A in a hospital right now PT and I love it, and have learned so much!

But...........

A few of the stories the nurses told me made me actually ill, I needed to leave the room and take some deep breaths! Now I am scarred I wont hack it! I want to be a nurse so badly, not because of the income, or the need, but because deep in my heart I want to care for sick people, I have done it for family and I know I will be a great nurse. Tell me please that feeling faint will pass, does it?????????????? :uhoh21:

Thank you!

Jen

[hippienurse]

I think if you can make it as a CNA (as far as being faint about things) then you can make it as a nurse. By far the things that made me go *eww* were more to do with daily care than skilled nursing care, except maybe sputum. You can do it!

[MIA-RN1, RN]

I think we all have our 'triggers'.

But also, when you are working as a student nurse, you are SO focused on what you are doing--is my hand shaking? did I contaminate my gloves? WHY is my instructor giving me that look!? Where the HECK did that meatus go?--that you don't really see the gross stuff. At least that has been my experience so far.

One time, I had to pack a nasty wound and I felt a little gaggy but I separated from it by thinking of the wound as a job, and trying not to think that it was part of a person until I was done. That might not be perfect nursing technique as far as holism etc, but it got me thru without making me sick and the next time, it was easier. The time after that, it was just cool to see the wound and I didn't gag at all.

Don't let your worries stop you; there is too much to gain!

[Love4Me, RN]

I does get better. I wasn't sure I would be able to handle clinicals. But now going into my final year I can say that it wasn't that bad. I now only get grossed out after the fact.

[mandrews]

The only clinical that I remember making any of the student nurses sick or faint was the OR rotation. The instructors will warn you about not locking your knees. (the smell is what made me nausious) Our instructors and the surgeons told the students if you feel faint sit down where you are. They do not want you falling into the sterile field or hurting yourself. We only had to scrub in and be sterile one time during the rotation. Mostly we just observed breast implants, kidney implants, bladder lifts, gallstone surgery, and that type of thing) In OB you get to see the babys born vaginally and c-sec.

melissa

[MIA-RN1, RN]

The only clinical that I remember making any of the student nurses sick or faint was the OR rotation. The instructors will warn you about not locking your knees. (the smell is what made me nausious) Our instructors and the surgeons told the students if you feel faint sit down where you are. They do not want you falling into the sterile field or hurting yourself. We only had to scrub in and be sterile one time during the rotation. Mostly we just observed breast implants, kidney implants, bladder lifts, gallstone surgery, and that type of thing) In OB you get to see the babys born vaginally and c-sec.

melissa

oh you saw cool stuff! We only got to have one day observing in OR during this semesters' med-surg rotation. Almost all of it either gallbladder removal or ortho. BORING! We didn't scrub in either; just followed the circulating nurse.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I agree, if you feel faint, step back and sit down before you "go" down. Usually people only have that happen once, after that they usually know where their limits lie and i think almost everyone has them. You do get used to things after a while though.

I got to stand in on a cabg when in school. It was so cool watching them go off heart lung machine and watching that heart start beating again on its own.

Funny, i have nerves and a stomach of steel, but my kids cant see their own blood without almost fainting!!,, :) You do get used to it.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

It does happen. We had two students kiss the floor during my second semester rotation; one during a delivery. She contaminated the sterile field. She got over it and so did everyone else. I think it helps to have a light protein based breakfast on clinical days.

[soapynurse@adel]

It only happened to me once and that was because I woke up late and didn't eat. I too had worked as an aide and I learned early on not to be too grossed out. You could dry a little dab of Vicks under your nose or carry a bottle of peppermint essential oil.

Just a few tricks learned over the 27 years. I would also always have a mint in my mouth and breath through my mouth.

Good luck....you'll do fine.

Alice in VA