# Emesis



## yay4stress (Jan 14, 2008)

Okay, bit of a back story hear.  I was recently on a call for a non-emergency patient.  Because a bunch of us on base that day (myself included) do not have EVOC, there were four people on the crew.  So, we're transporting non-emergency to a hospital for a pain patient, and she complains the whole way about being nauseous, so of course we give her an emesis bag.  Well, we're literally thirty seconds from the emergency curb, and she starts puking.  I have a problem with vomit, I can stand the sight, and the smell, but if I hear it I start gagging too.  So when she starts vomiting, I know what's coming next, so I jump out the side of our truck.  There are two people left in back, one of whom is a medic, so I didn't abandon.

I told you that story so I could ask this:  How do you get over problems with emesis?  any tips are appreciated, and feel free to laugh at this one, it's a joke at the service now and probably will be for a while.


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## Epi-do (Jan 14, 2008)

I wish I could give you some advice!  I have always been a sympathetic gagger.  As soon as someone starts puking, my gag reflex kicks in.  It isn't as strong as it used to be, but it is still there and I don't anticipate it going completely away anytime soon.  At least I have only actually puked on one run in 8 years!  LOL!!


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## Emt /b/ (Jan 14, 2008)

Bodily fluids really don't bother me at all.


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## yay4stress (Jan 14, 2008)

Well, this is only the second pt I've ever had vomit on me, so I'm hoping it goes away eventually.  Another EMT suggested that I go to parties to desensitize me ;-)


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## JJR512 (Jan 15, 2008)

You could try sensory overload. Get some sound recordings of people vomitting (since the sound is your problem) and play it over and over and over again until you get numbed to it. Then you're cured!


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## Chimpie (Jan 15, 2008)

JJR512 said:


> You could try sensory overload. Get some sound recordings of people vomiting (since the sound is your problem) and play it over and over and over again until you get numbed to it. Then you're cured!




*:Casey Kasem: *"And rounding out the top 40 this weekend is 'Old Lady Mary' with 'Barfing up lunch in Rescue 5.' " *:/Casey Kasem:*


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## medicdan (Jan 15, 2008)

I too have trouble with the sights and smells of vomiting. I have learned that proper airflow (opening a window), mental distraction (paperwork, etc.), and sensory distraction. Works well. I keep in the bag I take into the rig with me a little container of Vick's Vapor rub (or similar). I dab a little of it on my upper lip below my nose and essentially inhale it. The smell isn't amazing but distracts me enough. 
I do keep a vomipack close at hand, although, as of yet, I have not vomited in the amb at any point. 
Good Luck!

DES


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## EMTMandy (Jan 15, 2008)

yeah I really don't have a lot of advice to offer here...mostly because I'm not a very squeamish (sp?) person. but I do know that with exessive repeated exposure, humans can get used to virtually ANYTHING. Don't know if that would helps at all...basically you have to be around a lot of people that vomit in real life haha not very cool


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## yay4stress (Jan 15, 2008)

Chimpie said:


> *:Casey Kasem: *"And rounding out the top 40 this weekend is 'Old Lady Mary' with 'Barfing up lunch in Rescue 5.' " *:/Casey Kasem:*



Hate to say it, but somewhere on my computer I have a recording of someone vomiting.  I like this idea though, I think I'll do it on base just to mess with my crew....


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## JJR512 (Jan 15, 2008)

Yeah, do it over the PA.


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## firetender (Jan 15, 2008)

Welcome to the Biz. 

The way things will unfold is this: You'll either overcome it by force (quite possibly because having the rep of a POS - "Pukes On Scene" - will be worse than actually making the effort to *not* puke on the scene); you'll get used to it,  because repeated exposure (which you'll get) tends to help you break things down to "Oh, this again."; or it'll drive you out the door.

Did I say Welcome to the Biz?


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## rgnoon (Jan 16, 2008)

I know for a fact that a bunch of people in both of the agencies I am with use the Vick's VapoRub. It's my best friend on the puke calls.


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