tricks to overcome the gross anatomy smell?

[celticmists18]

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give me gushing blood, body parts hanging on by a thread . . . but the smell of the gross anatomy lab is getting to the point that I can no longer handle it. do you guys have any suggestions about ways to cope with the smell? (and before someone says it- breathing out of my mouth just doesn't work)

 

[beanbean]

Wear a mask. I was breast-feeding during the first half of anatomy and I wore a vapor mask. Uncomfortable, makes you look like "the fly", leaves red lines on your face, but..no smell.

A little less extreme would be to wear a simple face mask. Our lab staff provided them at no charge and several people wore them everyday.

The smell never really bothered me after I stopped wearing the mask. However, I know some people that are very sensitive to the odor.

Good luck!

 

[ddmo]

Read the other thread about smelling.

 

[Bobblehead]

A TB mask (N-95 particulate respirator) will keep most smells out: anatomy lab, manual disimpaction, litter boxes..

 

[nutmegs]

vicks vaporub under your nose...

 

[lattimer13]

i don't know about during lab, but afterwards to get that f-ing smell off my hands i would wash my hands with soap and water and then with pure lemon juice....ahhhh i loved it when that damn smell was finally gone for the day.

 

[pillowhead]

As other people said, a charcoal-lined respirator mask ought to do it. They're not cheap or particularly comfortable but they work like a charm. Good luck! It sucks I know---I threw up in lab one time when I had a migraine and couldn't handle the smell. (But I made it through and did just fine!)

 

[pikachu]

someone else said Vaporub - I concur - you gotta put it on the upper lip and actually into your nostrils to really block the smells. much cheaper than a respirator mask.

 

[azzarah]

Wear a long sleeve t-shirt under your scrubs. Double glove. Don't lean on the cadaver too much and don't put your elbows on the cadaver. Put a towel on your pillow at night and change/wash the towel frequently.

 

[drlexygoat]

Put a towel on your pillow at night and change/wash the towel frequently.

Ok... call me naive - I dont' start gross for another few weeks. Are you telling me that your hair smells AFTER you've taken a shower? The smell doesn't leave?

Oh, things to look forward to.....

 

[DrMom]

Yes, your hair retains the smell...worse if your hair is long. It took 2 weeks after finishing anatomy for Mr. DrMom to say that my hair no longer smelled.

 

[felipe5]

best advice ever= don't go to lab with a hangover. trust me

 

[JohnnieBlue]

Ok... call me naive - I dont' start gross for another few weeks. Are you telling me that your hair smells AFTER you've taken a shower? The smell doesn't leave?

Oh, things to look forward to.....

The smell stays with you since formaldahyde is organic and seeps into your skin. I've been double gloving and the smell even gets through that! One thing I've done which a second year recommended was washing my hands with soap before lab and then putting on my gloves on top of the wet/soapy hands (without drying). Its worked pretty well so far.

 

[velo]

The smell stays with you since formaldahyde is organic and seeps into your skin. I've been double gloving and the smell even gets through that! One thing I've done which a second year recommended was washing my hands with soap before lab and then putting on my gloves on top of the wet/soapy hands (without drying). Its worked pretty well so far.

nitrile gloves...work like a charm.

To the poster who mentioned manual disimpaction....ewwwww

 

[ddmo]

The smell stays with you since formaldahyde is organic and seeps into your skin. I've been double gloving and the smell even gets through that! One thing I've done which a second year recommended was washing my hands with soap before lab and then putting on my gloves on top of the wet/soapy hands (without drying). Its worked pretty well so far.

JB, I see you're a Pistons fan, are you from Detroit?