Let’s be honest. Not every nurse's stomach will cruise through a “code brown” accident in the emergency room with a smile.
Urine, feces, vomit, mucus, sweat, saliva, and wound drainage are all part of the job in many nursing careers.
So, what if you’re a nursing student who gets a little queasy around these things? Can you be a nurse if you're grossed out by bodily fluids? The simple answer is yes.
It’s totally normal to feel a bit faint at the sight of blood or queasy around secretions that come from (and out of) patients.
The key to managing your reaction to these fluids and successfully providing patient care is finding coping mechanisms. Luckily, we have some good ones to share, but let’s get into the science of it first.
Is nursing the right choice if I dislike bodily fluids?
Raise your hand if you are a nursing student or a newbie nurse and at some point have wished you were born with a stomach made of iron.
The real irony is—(see what we did there?) that humans are biologically hardwired to find these things a bit off-putting.
What makes our brains label a smell as “bad”? New findings from the University of Florida Health explain the biological mechanics of how your brain processes—and reacts—to odors.
Think of the amygdala as your brain’s emotional headquarters. Our olfactory system connects directly to it, meaning we have emotional responses (both good and bad) to smells.
Researchers discovered that this headquarters contains 2 specific types of worker cells that act like traffic controllers for smells. Depending on where these cells send their signals in the brain, they flip the switch that determines whether you will have a negative or positive response to a smell.
The reality of bedside nursing: Facing the "ick" factor
First things first, your critical thinking and desire to be a good nurse may carry you beyond your initial gag reflex. It may sound optimistic, but a nursing career with an aversion to bodily fluids is not just possible—it’s actually quite common!
Before you throw up and then throw out your scrubs, after smelling something in nursing school clinicals, try this.
Do more clinicals—wait, did you just hear that right?
Yes. Surviving nursing school clinicals means facing the “ick” factor on repeat. This can help you become more accustomed to the fluids and smells.
One Reddit nurse says:
“I think you get used to it. I’ve been a PCT for 4 years now, and those smells never bother me anymore. Yes,I can still smell them. I can acknowledge when someone smells bad. But it doesn’t bother me anymore.”
There’s a scientific explanation for this, nurses. Adjusting to bodily fluids is a psychological process known as desensitization. According to the authors of Attentional Modulation of Desensitization to Odor:
“Psychophysical studies have shown that perceived odor intensity diminishes during the course of prolonged or repetitive olfactory stimuli.”
While there are certainly exceptions to this phenomenon, and therefore nurses who cannot handle certain smells, desensitization is a start.
How nurses handle being squeamish during their first few months often comes down to professional distance and experience. Eventually, you stop seeing "gross stuff" and start seeing "clinical data" that tells you how your patient is doing.
How to deal with being squeamish in nursing
Okay, now that you know that it’s likely you will get used to the full range of smells in a nursing environment, there are still ways of managing discomfort with bodily fluids.
If you are reading this and thinking, “Okay, I can deal with sweat, blood, and even urine, but C-diff feces and wound drainage is where I draw the line,” then we have solutions for you.
Tips for nurses who are squeamish
When it comes to dealing with squeamishness in nursing, sometimes you have to follow your nose—or rather, protect it.
- The Vicks trick: A dab of Vicks VapoRub under your nose or inside a mask can override even the most "stink-tinctive" odors.
- Use alcohol or essential oils: Put an alcohol pad between two masks, or if you have peppermint oil or lavender oil, you can also try dabbing a few drops in between your masks.
- The mouth-breather method: If you can’t smell it, it’s much easier to deal with. However, be careful with this trick. If your nose isn’t completely closed off, you may end up feeling like you are eating whatever you are smelling–no thanks.
- Eye on the prize: Focus on the specific task (like the sterile field) rather than the "mess" surrounding it.
Here’s the hard, sometimes smelly truth: Nothing will completely eliminate strong smells, especially if they are associated with a patient who has been sick with an infection for a while.
Try to focus on what matters most. As cliché as it sounds, concentrating on your nursing task at hand will make you more resilient and likely to make it through a stinky situation.
Psychological strategies for nurses dealing with smells
Coping with being squeamish in nursing is also a mental game.
Here are a few psychological strategies for dealing with smells and fluids as a nurse that may help with practice:
- Try focusing entirely on the patient's dignity and reach for your empathy. Your patient is a human being.
- Remember that your patient is way more likely to be embarrassed than you are grossed out. How would you want to be treated if you were the patient?
- Center your mind on their clinical needs; the "gross" factor takes a backseat to your role as a healer; often, bad smells are a warning that something is wrong.
Advice for nurses uncomfortable with bodily fluids
All these strategies sound nice enough, but what if there are certain situations where your body just cannot handle a messy and smelly situation?
For example, another Reddit nurse says:
“GI bleeds. A patient who has been soaking in sulfamylon solution for 5 days.I can generally handle the rest. Those drive me nuts.”
Our advice is to lean on your seasoned nurse coworkers; they’ve seen it all and can offer the support for bodily fluid discomfort you need to get through the shift.
Never forget that nursing is a team sport. Therefore, overcoming aversion to bodily fluids may involve a little bartering.
If you have a colleague who doesn't mind the "messy" stuff but hates high-stress med passes or complex dressing changes, offer to trade tasks. There is no shame in saying, "I’ll handle your med passes if you can help me with this bed change."
Most veteran nurses have one specific thing that grosses them out (for some, it’s spit; for others, it’s feet). Find your "fluid-friendly" nurse partner and shamelessly swap duties (if you are permitted to do so).
Honestly, where would we be without great coworkers?
Nursing jobs where you can avoid bodily fluids
What if you’ve tried the Vicks, all the essential oils, the masks, and the mental mantras, and you still can't stomach the bedside?
Take a deep breath—or actually don’t.
Nursing without dealing with bodily fluids is actually a thing.
You heard us right.
There are numerous jobs for nurses who dislike bodily fluids that allow you to use your clinical expertise without the "splatter" factor.
For instance, low-acuity or desk-based roles are excellent alternative nursing roles for squeamish people. You can still make a massive difference in patient outcomes without ever touching a bedpan.
Top nursing specialties for those sensitive to bodily fluids
If you are looking for nurse career paths with minimal bodily fluid exposure, check out these nursing specialties for those sensitive to bodily fluids:
See? There are several nursing specializations with less exposure to bodily fluids—and these just scratch the surface.
A hospital administrator is another great nursing career where you won’t be as exposed to bodily fluids as you would if you were working on the floor.
Plus, if you are a full-time nurse and just sick of dealing with the ick factor every day of the week, you could consider going per diem. PRN nurses pick up shifts where they want, that fit their schedule, and organize their hours around their lifestyle.
This option may offer a psychological break and freedom from a normal nursing job that exposes you to the same smells over and over again.
Being grossed out doesn’t make you a bad nurse
Learning how to become comfortable with bodily fluids in nursing doesn’t happen overnight. If you are about to jump into a nursing career, don’t let your “ew” factor define your “do” factor.
Meaning, don’t stick your nose up in the air just yet to work in a hospital or medical setting where fluids, secretions, and smells are inevitable.
Really, though, most nurses will be able to empathize with your sensitivity to smells, especially if you are new to the floor. Give bedside nursing a fair chance. Remember, it does get easier over time, and try strategies like the ones mentioned above to keep you chugging along as a great nurse.
If you absolutely can’t handle body fluids and smells in a medical environment, there are alternative nursing jobs that will allow you to stay miles away from these things.
If you’re thinking about a career in nursing but have been holding back because of squeamishness, try testing the waters with an entry-level nursing position, like becoming a certified nursing assistant.
You may find you have a stronger stomach than you thought.
Learn how you can become a CNA; it’s fast and often free.
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