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xraystudent123
Joined: 26 Nov 2008
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject: 1st month in the hospital & I already....passed out!!! |
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Hello everyone,
I got accepted into the Rad Tech program this Fall & started doing my training in the hospital last month. Everything has been going pretty well. I'm doing good with both lecture & hands on exams & so far I enjoy studying this career. However, recently I had this one unfortunate incident & it really makes me doubt whether or not I could survive in this field.
I'm a very sensitive person with bloody scene/needle or incisive procedures in general. The other day I went to observe an activity in the angiography/cath lab & I just passed out completely in the middle of the procedure. I was standing right behind the doctor & I just couldn't take it. The blood alone didn't freak me out as much as when the doctor started sticking all these wires into the neck vein (vena cava).
I know later on I will have to face many more serious situations like in the OR & I can't have such reaction anymore. Have any of you had a similar problem? Were you able to overcome it eventually? Any input would be appreciative since I'm feeling so frustrated now. All the technologists are telling me how challenging it will be if I don't overcome, etc..& it's really worrying me!!!
Thank you! |
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papa
Moderator
Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 297
Location: The State of Confusion
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| Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:17 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | All the technologists are telling me how challenging it will be if I don't overcome, etc..& it's really worrying me!!! |
don't listen to them. radiology has so many different areas that it really isn't an issue unless you make it one.
your first post here at radiologyforums tells me, personally, many things about what kind of technologist you would be, and i personally would have no problem at all working next to you. some people just can't take it, and some people need to be worked into that part of radiology.
listen, it's your first month. give it some time. there are some people (like me) who see something like this and are absolutely facinated by it. my first week of clinic they put me down in the OR, and i watched the first half of the surgery to place henderson rods. the patient was open from C6 all the way down to L3. my CI tried to get me to pass out, (since i was the "quiet one", he thought it'd be funny to get me to pass out in the OR) but it didn't work. i looked over the sterile field and saw the spine exposed and everything and said "coooooooooollllll". we had a good laugh, and went on. some people are just like that.
some people, it's not visual, it's the smell. yes, blood does have a smell, and if you're not used to it, it can get you. easily.
some people can deal with blood. they can deal with needles. they can watch all of the "saw" movies back to back, then go out to red lobster and have dinner. but you put all of them together, and forget it, they're out. i remember this tech one time, who had just come back from lunch and was going to relieve me in the OR. well, the count of sponges was off and the surgeon was looking for the sponge. the tech walks in and sees the surgeon "inside" the patinent looking for the sponge, and walked out to the hallway and tossed his cookies in the closest trash can. yeah, we got a good chuckle out of that one.
point is, don't worry about it. some people can take the "gore" of radiology, and some can't, and some have to slowly work into it. it's your first month. consider this a "welcome to the angio department". angio is the closest thing to the OR that is run by radiology. CT and MRI have the needles, and the ER patients are "usually" (not always) cleaned up by the time we scan them. Diagnostic can get a little bit messy, but usually only with traumas and OR. there's Mammo, Dexa, which never gets bloody, and never has needles (unless you have a biopsy in mammo, and the doc is doing that). there's PET and Nuc Med, and many other places to go to, and that's just talking about the hospital.
ya know, there's also imaging centers that are outside the hospital, and you don't get all that blood and gore stuff. there's portable techs who travel to nursing homes and take their films.
simply "passing out" in the angio department does not mean panic "dear god, i don't think this is for me!" give it time. you never know -- you might end up with the mentality like me ... walking through the angio department with some popcorn in an emesis basin saying "hey, anybody want some?"
looking foward to working with ya ;P
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 papa RT(R)(CT)
Delusional Radiology
never meddle in the affairs of a dragon, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup |
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cmcgarvey2143
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:51 pm Post subject: Makes me feel better |
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I just started the program in Aug and when I went to visit 3 hospitals, the one I went to I watched a flouroscopy procedure and when the doctor was placing the needle in the upper arm, and as I watched it slowly going in I could feel myself turning pale and get the cold sweats. I am so interested in watching and being involved in the procedure but think that will hold me back, also know what other workers will think if I have to walk away for a min. " You can't handle that, then you shoulden't be here" It frusterates me as well because I am so happy and egar to learn what I can do be the best at what I will be doing. I wanted to know if taking ginger supplements, for nausea daily would help, and if anyone has had the same issue and eventually got over it? thankx for the help, I was happy when I read this post it makes me more confident to know that I am not the only one. |
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RTnTraining
Joined: 18 Nov 2009
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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I think it just takes time. I have no problem watching trauma shows on tv, but when I observed my first IVP and saw the flashback of blood, I got extremely nauseous.
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RT n Training |
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cmcgarvey2143
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 2:44 pm Post subject: Thanks for the reply |
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I am a Certified Medical Assistant and when I did my blood draws in schol I had no problem poking people and not feeling sick, I think I might just feel sometimes as if the person recieving the procedure is me. I hate shots, getting my blood drawn, annuals and what not. I just do not want to be thought of as week by Rad techs I work with, clinical instructers, my teachers and the students I am at clinicals with. I am really trying to get in the mind set that I will get over it and will be able to help and be around pts, as much as they need me. I am so excited to get in there and get started. |
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sweet_lolli
Joined: 29 Dec 2009
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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I've been there before  and I know it's not fum at all 
I'm a Hemophobic since I was like 9.  My case was severe, I even couldn't be around blasters, gauze and alcohol swaps. 
But here I'm now, graduated and working, and really enjoying it!
If you really love your career you shouldn't let something stupid like this to stand in your way, you should overcome your fears.
Yes, it will take lots of practice. You can tell your professors or supervisors to be patient since you're new to the feild.
Try to face your fears instead of running away, it won't go by itself
I'd recommend to start watching videos for some procedures, youtube would help.
Ask if you can shadow in O.R , and ask the staff to just let you observe through the window for the first couple of days till you're comfortable to go in. and ask them to be patient on you and not to push
Finally, try to seek counseling, that would help a lot.
Good luck. |
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Vega
Joined: 23 Apr 2010
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:40 am Post subject: |
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I think over time some people can become desensitized to graphic experiences in the hospital. And some people can't. But I think there's plenty of opportunities where one doesn't have to witness certain procedures that make them light-headed. I would continue on your path and see if you can eventually desensitize yourself.
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Vega Sinclair, Health & Dental Insurance Plans Advisor |
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