# Desensitized to blood--or not?



## lateralligator (Aug 20, 2012)

I'm interested to know how/when/where along the way you became sufficiently desensitized to blood to not react to it and to be able to do your job. 

I'm making an assumption that this does occur, so I'm also interested to know if it hasn't happened to you and you struggle with it.


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## Schroeder (Aug 20, 2012)

If you are anything like me, seeing blood has never been a problem in the first place. 

Of the people I do know in EMS, none of them have ever had a problem seeing blood. 

Kinda comes with the territory if you ask me.


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## lateralligator (Aug 20, 2012)

Right, I know it does come with the territory. You sound like you've had no issues and I'm curious whether that's the case with most in EMS from the get-go, or whether the casualness develops over time.


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## Doczilla (Aug 20, 2012)

When you see lots of blood, chances are you'll be wondering where its coming from, and bot going "eww, icky!"


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## NYMedic828 (Aug 20, 2012)

Schroeder said:


> If you are anything like me, seeing blood has never been a problem in the first place.
> 
> Of the people I do know in EMS, none of them have ever had a problem seeing blood.
> 
> Kinda comes with the territory if you ask me.



Same.


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## Anonymous (Aug 20, 2012)

blood does not bother me any more or any less than any other body fluid. it bothers me from a stand point of possibly being pathogenic but not from a OMG blood stand point.


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## STXmedic (Aug 20, 2012)

Doczilla said:


> When you see lots of blood, chances are you'll be wondering where its coming from, and bot going "eww, icky!"



This.

I've never had a problem, nor do I know anybody that has made it known they have a problem. I know many people that have issues with smells, or vomit, or feces, or truly traumatic and mangling injuries, or starting IVs (that one seems to go away quickly); but none just from the sight of blood. Not saying they aren't out there; just that I can't help you too much


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 20, 2012)

I’ve heard this lot from new EMTs and I think you're concerned about the "ick factor"... Not so much blood in general, but the fact that you may be seeing mangled limbs and people who've been turned into hamburger by machinery or motor vehicle wrecks.

As a matter of course, we don't deal with much blood. Obviously, serious trauma can be a bloody mess, but the majority of calls that involve traumatic injury have bleeding controlled quickly and there's just not that much blood splashing around. It's certainly not like a horror movie.

If you're worried about being able to do the job when you're seeing gruesome, grievous injuries, know you're not alone. I still see things that make me queasy and I've been involved in EMS since 1989. The top of my “ick list” is eye injuries. 

But, if you do your job and focus on treatment, the ick factor just kind of goes away.

And you can do what I always do... if the injury is making me sick or queasy, I just cover that $#it up! Sheets, towels, trauma pads... whatever!


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## Veneficus (Aug 20, 2012)

"A day without blood is like a day without sunshine."


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## leoemt (Aug 20, 2012)

lateralligator said:


> I'm interested to know how/when/where along the way you became sufficiently desensitized to blood to not react to it and to be able to do your job.
> 
> I'm making an assumption that this does occur, so I'm also interested to know if it hasn't happened to you and you struggle with it.



17 years old volunteering as a Police Explorer. Working a parade, and this happens: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980419&slug=2745980

Our role was assisting with traffic control once the scene was secured. First dead body I ever saw.

Blood and guts never bothered me. We all have it inside of us. 

What DOES bother me isn't the injury, but rather watching the injury happen. That makes me cringe.


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## NJEMT95 (Aug 20, 2012)

I've never minded blood.
Vomit's another story though. The smell really gets to me. Speaking of smells... walking into a room of a vasovagal patient is always wonderful...


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## firetender (Aug 20, 2012)

What would get to me is entering a darkened room seeking a patient and having my foot slide out from under me once it hit the blood. Worse yet, encountering a blood trail with my hands.

There's something very creepy about sliding in blood. It feels like no other liquid on the planet, especially when it starts clotting!

It ain't the looks that made me retch, it was the "feel"!


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## MrJones (Aug 20, 2012)

NJEMT95 said:


> I've never minded blood.
> Vomit's another story though. The smell really gets to me....



This. If I'm not careful, seeing/smelling vomit can turn me into a sympathy puker. Heck of a problem for an EMT to have..... :lol:


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## Veneficus (Aug 20, 2012)

firstshirt said:


> This. If I'm not careful, seeing/smelling vomit can turn me into a sympathy puker. Heck of a problem for an EMT to have..... :lol:



Don't worry about it.

The best medic I have ever met is a sympathy puker. I wouldn't know 1/2 of what I do and couldn't do 1/3 of it were it not for his mentoring.


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## MrJones (Aug 20, 2012)

Veneficus said:


> Don't worry about it.
> 
> The best medic I have ever met is a sympathy puker. I wouldn't know 1/2 of what I do and couldn't do 1/3 of it were it not for his mentoring.



Oh, I'm not worried about it - it is what it is. Does make for some interesting encounters, though. Besides, as a relatively new EMT I'm hoping that more frequent exposure will help to eventually desensitize me. Sort of like the OP was referring to with blood.


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## lateralligator (Aug 20, 2012)

Interesting responses! Good thread. Thanks.


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## titmouse (Aug 20, 2012)

As i started learning about the human system I find blood to be interesting. What would bother is if its pathogenic as stated before.


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## VFlutter (Aug 20, 2012)

I have a friend in nursing school with me who is deathly afraid of needles. She literally shakes and passes out during sim labs just holding one. She is incredibly smart and would make a fantastic nurse however I do not see how she will be able to do her job if she can not get over that fear. 


I never had a problem with blood, guts, vomit, etc. Sometimes the smells do get to me (Ex. GI bleed / C diff) but not enough to stop me from doing my job. If you are not comfortable with trauma there are a lot of websites out there with tons of pictures of accidents, GSW and stuff that you can look through and get used to. It may help to get used to seeing pictures before you see it in real life.


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## titmouse (Aug 20, 2012)

Bestgore... Beside all the really cruel stuff the medical section is cool.


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## CANDawg (Aug 20, 2012)

I've never had an issue with blood. Even as a kid if I had to have blood taken I was more interested by how they did it and what it looked like than how it felt. I still find myself watching when I get blood taken. 

I know one of my old instructors doesn't mind other people's blood, but freaks out when she knows its her own. :blink:


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## Doczilla (Aug 20, 2012)

firstshirt said:


> Oh, I'm not worried about it - it is what it is. Does make for some interesting encounters, though. Besides, as a relatively new EMT I'm hoping that more frequent exposure will help to eventually desensitize me. Sort of like the OP was referring to with blood.



Ever seen a medic get puked on, then puke right back on the patient because he coudnt move in time? 

Anyone who remembers the 90's, Kodak moment.


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## Tigger (Aug 20, 2012)

dbo789 said:


> I know one of my old instructors doesn't mind other people's blood, but freaks out when she knows its her own. :blink:



That's me right there, I pass out getting blood drawn and cannot donate blood for the same reason. If it's coming from someone else, I don't have much of a reaction except to stop it if possible, "go back to your home dammit!"

When I see something gross I just concentrate on doing my job and get it done. Only then do I realize how gross such and thing is. It is your job, therefore it's best to just get over it and do it.


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## Steffah (Aug 21, 2012)

Blood has never bothered me. It's red, it's liquid, so is cherry Kool Aid.

Other things, the idea of it bothers me more than actually seeing it. So once I actually saw it, I didn't bother me anymore. Bad explanation but yeah


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## lateralligator (Aug 23, 2012)

ChaseZ33 said:


> I have a friend in nursing school with me who is deathly afraid of needles. She literally shakes and passes out during sim labs just holding one. She is incredibly smart and would make a fantastic nurse however I do not see how she will be able to do her job if she can not get over that fear.
> 
> 
> I never had a problem with blood, guts, vomit, etc. Sometimes the smells do get to me (Ex. GI bleed / C diff) but not enough to stop me from doing my job. If you are not comfortable with trauma there are a lot of websites out there with tons of pictures of accidents, GSW and stuff that you can look through and get used to. It may help to get used to seeing pictures before you see it in real life.



Well, I screamed a little when I read your suggestion, lol. BUT, that is a really good idea.


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