Those of you who are doctors, nurses, surg techs, etc., IOW, who deal with people badly injured,

[raccoon]

Before your training, did it really bother you to see severe injuries? Is it something people become inured to?

[elfrangel]

1. For myself....

I've always been fascinated. I can handle blood - loved my surgery rotation in nursing school. A severe injury was a learning experience then...in some ways, it still is depending on the injury.

OTOH, I work in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, so my severe injuries are different than most. I usually see injuries associated with congenital or genetic defects (ie: encephalocele - a defect where the skull doesn't close completely around the brain leaving the brain matter exposed. It's like myelomenigocele, only with the head.). Although not necessarily bloody, these injuries may still be fatal and are often severe.

I don't think that I have become desensitized to severe injury, I just switch to "nurse mode". I think about what needs to be done to fix/support the patient.

[Texasgal]

2. No, I never had a problem

looking or treating poeple with extreme injuries.

The only time I ever became emotional or overcome with grief was when children had been severly injured.

Otherwise, no... never had a problem.