I work in a sauna!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Okay, not really, but it sure feels like it! My unit is incredibly busy and lately we've been super short-staffed, which means we are running around non-stop. As a tech, I can have up to 18 demanding patients, many of whom are constantly cold and want us to turn the thermostats up in their rooms. This I understand and can deal with...after all, they are sick and I want them to be comfortable. After I've dripped a bucket of sweat in their room I find sweet relief from the cooler air in the hallways.

However, there's one unit secretary I work with who rarely moves from her seat and always gets cold. Every time I work with her she turns up every thermostat to 90 degrees (including the bathrooms, locker room and break room). As I'm running around like a mad woman I often feel like I'm going to pass out from heat stroke. I sweetly and diplomatically mentioned this to her and asked if we could compromise and lower the temp to a reasonable (but still too warm for me) temp, to which she agreed, only to find her turning it back up again less than an hour later. She's been there a long time and I've only been there a few months, so I don't want to create any problems, especially since others I've talked to feel the same as me but choose to just deal with it.

Any suggestions? I would even consider some sort of discreet personal cooling system if there is such a thing. I dread going into work when she's going to be there because I know I'll be miserable. It's absolute agony. :(

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

90* Is insanely high! Not running around I would get light-headed from that kind of heat! Ask her again diplomatically, see if others on the floor are also suffering and if any of them would also be willing to politely ask her to turn down the heat. Suggest if she is cold that she wear a sweater/jacket indoors. I'm actually surprised facilities hasn't said anything to her or anyone else about the temp being so high... that is well above normal "indoor" temperatures and probably a huge energy waste.

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Specializes in critical care.

Find out when her birthday is and buy her a sweater.

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Specializes in rehab.

I naturally get cold easy, even if I run around the unit. But at the same time I never expect people to raise the temp for me. So what I do is being a jacket or if I forgot I use a blanket and wrap myself in it. I don't know how you can suggest it but this is what she should do to be fair to others.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

This unit secretary needs to layer up. The heat also increases microbial growth, so you can always approach it from an infection control standpoint if you are up against resistance. Anything above about 75 degrees is plain unreasonable.

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This unit secretary needs to layer up. The heat also increases microbial growth, so you can always approach it from an infection control standpoint if you are up against resistance. Anything above about 75 degrees is plain unreasonable.

...and may well be illegal in a public place. Look at your state's business temp control laws. Other than that, maybe you can find a way to get that sec up and moving around more?

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I had to snicker when I saw this thread title. In parts of Scotland, the word sauna is used to denote a "massage parlour" aka brothel.

Carry on.

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

I take it if she cranks the temp up to 90*, that there aren't any perimenopausal women working on your unit? I guarantee they' have killed her by now!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Those who are too cold can put on a sweater -- or numerous sweaters. However, there IS a limit to how much the rest of us can take off!

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We constantly struggle with the thermostat on my unit. It isn't uncommon to come in at 1830 when it's 100 outside and find the thermostat set on 90. Makes me crazy (and sweaty).

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Just go behind her and turn it back down. For a while I just had a habit of checking thermostats every single time I walked by. Since I'm up moving, I obviously pass by them more often than those sitting on their butts. Eventually they'll get tired and buy a sweater. You just have to be more stubborn than they are.

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sometimes putting a sweater on is not enough. but that doesn't give any one the right to make every other person miserable potentially unhealthy.

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