My A and P 1 class is going to be looking at a cadaver for the first time next week.. for those of you who have seen one.. how gross is it? and how is the smell? Will I get nauseous?

I got to see one last year. It is not that bad, I was absolutely fascinated by it because I got to see the real thing and not just a picture in a book. It will really help because you can apply and see first hand how muscles, tendons, the heart, etc. Some people get a little nauseous, but try not to look at it as a dead body. This was a person that donated their body for scientific purposes and understood that he or she would be studied. Good luck!

Okay.. well I'm just like ew! Everytime someone mentions it and we have to bring gloves next week which means we'll probably be touching it! My teacher was so happy though because it was a skinny person and not the fat person she said she had for last semester!

It is a great learning opportunity to see what you learn in the books. Most teachers do not require you to touch the body, but to bring gloves if you want the hands on. Just take it slow.

I don't know if having a cadaver is good or not. All we got to use was a cat. I think the smell of the formaldehyde was bad, but after two weeks the cat was pretty rank. Not much you could do about it but just bear it.

Take advantage of the opportunity - it's one that not everybody gets. I've had to get my hands on, or eyes on - whichever the case is, by working in the ED when a trauma came in, or when I've scrubbed in the OR with a doc who was willing to teach. As for the smell, you can use vicks, but really, you'll probably get used to it.

Well I have yet to reach this part of my A&P requirements, but I am looking forward to it. I have had exposure in video format of a cadaver disection for MA school and found it quite facinating to coordinate what we learn form a drawing in a book to the real think. I feel it helped a few things "click" as to the overall picture of the "how / whys". As others have said you may do better if you take it a little at a time, just stay focused on a small area at first (ex: the muscle fibers). My biggest thing is.. Make sure the face is covered !! At that point it is not a person -its an object of study. Stay focused, and embrace the opportunity for the educational aspect. I would think the same for having the opportunity to view an operation for the first time....

I was freaked out and nervous as all heck when I had to dissect a cat. Well it was actually pretty cool to see all the parts and to be able to name then. Smells are something to get used to, which as a nurse you will smell many non pleasant things. I believe the worst smell is emtying a colostomy bag (when someone has their poop go into a bag on their abdomen) But a cadaver when i did get to see one, the only thing that disturbed me is the tattoo this man had, it made me remember that he was once alive and now i'm digging through him...you'll be fine, its really neat. Not many people can say they know what the inside of a human body looks like.

  In A/P I...We did a lamb's brain.  A human eyeball.  human heart.  But they were all seperate.  I didn't get to do a complete cadaver.  I worry about the same thing myself.  I will be taking A/P II this summer, and yes....it will smell bad.   Just gotta' suck it up.  Good luck .  You will be fine!

I've never dealt with a human cadaver, but I've been around horse cadavers, and my recommendation would be to have one specific pair of scrubs/clothes that you wear to that class every time, and that you aren't bothered tossing at the end of the semester. I smell really sticks to your clothes, so if you wear the same thing every time, you don't have to worry about a bunch of stinky things...just one!

I took A & P I and II an NEVER got to see a cadaver. How cool that would have been!! I am so jealous!