What "fluids" can't/ can you handle?

[mrsbull]

I was just checking this website out it is a branch off of People of walmart. Most of them if not all are drunk an passed out in vomit or some other "fluid". Frankly it is gross and I saw some pages not the whole site. It was not something that is entertaining. I like funny things as much as the next person but this was just gross. It got me to thinking I am not good with vomit, most others I can handle BM grosses me out too but you just get thru it.

What grosses you out and how do you "make it thru a call"?

[FireMedic65]

The smell gets to me most of the time. Sometimes the smell isn't bad, or I am too preoccupied with what I am doing for it to bother me. I carry vicks vapor rub in my pocket. Put some under your nose on upper lip.. it helps to mask the foul smells.

[mrsbull]

Yes Vicks does help!

I suppose it is mostly the smell that gets to me more than vomit or feces as well. Chunks still have an ick factor to me too.

[FireMedic65]

It all depends on the situation too though. Is it a recover? Is it an emergency? Did it happen during emergency? Did it happen prior to arrival? All of these can change the way our brain reacts to them. Walking into the situation knowing what you will come across better prepares you. It happening during treatment, you are caught off guard but usually have adrenalin pumping so you hardly notice...

[mrsbull]

Very true, the adrenaline and/or task at hand often can "mask" the smell at times. However when my DD was a ball of ooze when she was little rarely did it bother me til she started solids. She is like me (a sympathetic puker) I have told pts that before as well.

There are some smells that can get in the way of doing your job to be able to overcome the distraction mostly.

Vicks can work as well as air freshner (lysol or the like) that also disinfects (after a pt is away). Until the fluids are gone (pt is where they are headed normally).

Any smells that you just cant get out? Decay perhaps??? What else can/do you do to get the smell that seems to stay out of your nose?

[FireMedic65]

smells do "stick around" I forget why, but there is a sciency answer for it.. the smell of burning flesh sticks in the nose for a long time

[maverick56]

Fluids don't really get to me much, although I am not a big fan of liquid BM (really, who is?). Vomit, eh just kinda ticks me off if I get puked on, but I'm not a sympathy puker or anything. I would say that probably what does or could get to me most are the smell of burning flesh and, depending on the situation, gunpowder/explosives. Has the potential of bringing up flashbacks.

[tskstorm]

There is nothing that bothers me anymore, smell wise or visually, there will be something I'm sure, but nothing I'm aware of, I've gotten over it all after being exposed to it all so often.

[JTpaintball70]

BM used to be really the only thing that got me, but 9 months of working as a hospital tech made it so it doesn't bother me anymore

[Gypsy]

So far I haven't found anything I can't take. I've also not gotten alot of experiences though.

For the people that have a problem with the smells that never seem to leave your nose here's a tip: coffee beans. Either whole or ground up. Just take a deep inhale of the smell of those and it will clear out our nose. This is actually a trick from perfume companies. My mom and I have very sensitive noses and my step dad who used to work at perfume world showed us that trick. It's prevented many migraines in my house. Just food for thought.