Smelly Co-Worker

Nurses General Nursing

Published

What would you all do about a co-worker with an odor problem?

This gal LOOKS clean but she smells BAD. The beginning of the shift is fine, the middle of the shift and things get bad. I see her sneak off to the bathroom with BO Juice in hand but she still smells bad.

It isn't always body odor. Sometimes it is but it is something different. I feel weird about explaining exactly what it is, but it is usually a very strong, different odor. Please understand, this is not once every now and again, this is daily. It's a rare day that there is no odor.

To my knowledge we have never had a patient complaint, but I don't know why. She is a sweet nurse, very good at what she does, very skilled at her profession, but she stinks!

I really don't think it is a lack of showering, she comes to work and smells fine. Within a few hours it is bad.

Suggestions on how to tell her? I don't want to hurt her feelings but geez...

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Didn't work. I said that [email protected] stinks and used my other yahoo.com address and there was an error message.

I think we need a 3rd person to say [email protected] stinks.

I'll try. I'll brb in a few.....
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Very few people are good at confrontations that concern such a sensitive issue as B.O.

Real estate agents constantly have to keep quiet to avoid offending their clients. The homeowner is wondering why their home won't sell. The agent knows exactly why: pet urine odors, stale cigarette smoke, unclean conditions, mildewy stench. But the agent cannot tell his/her client the truth (that their home smells) without offending them.

No one feels comfortable with confronting about B.O.

This is my issue. If it was a matter of not showering I wouldn't think twice about confronting the issue head on. But I don't think this is the case and I simply don't know how to tell her she stinks to high heaven without it hurting.

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between your house and your hoohah...i think your hoohah is WAY more personal though:lol2: :eek: :chair:

Ya think???? :smokin:

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
Didn't work. I said that [email protected] stinks and used my other yahoo.com address and there was an error message.

I think we need a 3rd person to say [email protected] stinks.

it has to be done in sequence though i think. and email addresses have to be entered in all lower case too. Maybe this is just a bogus website. I had no problem entering my info as a user but then when I tried to register from the links they sent me for the additional person...it kept giving me an error. from the looks of it though its probably not a nice email...not something you would want to send to your friend. But I bet it would be funny as hades to us!:lol2:

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I attempted to register right now.

I went to my email and clicked on the link to activate the account, but received an error message. Oh well. That idea is no longer an option. :sniff:

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I'll try. I'll brb in a few.....

Hey.. be sure to use a crappy email addy that you don't care about spam mail!!! Don't use your real email addy.

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I think her overall personality is why she hasn't had complaints from staff and patients. But that doesn't mean SHE isn't suffering. I have no idea if her problem causes physical pain, but obviously it MUST cause emotional pain.

You're probably right. And SUFFERING is likely a very good way to describe it. Can you imagine, being in her place and trying to do everything that she can possibly think of, and nothing works? Maybe that is what's happening. Imagine the humiliation it has caused her, the hurt that she may experience every day, but perhaps does not always show. For all you know, she's experienced that every day of her life for years. :bluecry1: I wonder if she feels that she has absolutely no control over this? I think a lot of people would not understand the depths of despair a problem like this can cause. And it isn't funny. Not by a long shot. I'm sure she is WELL aware of it.

Please keep these things in mind, and ask yourself if it is really going to be helpful to say anything.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Hey.. be sure to use a crappy email addy that you don't care about spam mail!!! Don't use your real email addy.
I tried it and basically ran into a brick wall..... :bluecry1:
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it has to be done in sequence though i think. and email addresses have to be entered in all lower case too. Maybe this is just a bogus website. I had no problem entering my info as a user but then when I tried to register from the links they sent me for the additional person...it kept giving me an error. from the looks of it though its probably not a nice email...not something you would want to send to your friend. But I bet it would be funny as hades to us!:lol2:

I think it likely has to be from two unique IPs. IOW, two different users with different computers. Commuter will be the 3rd person so we'll know for sure now.

But yes, I'm sure it isn't a nice email. I'm betting it isn't something I'd want to send to this gal!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

grrrr....I got the notification but it is still giving me an error...think something is wrong with the site. You can try reaching the link they sent me

http://YouHaveBO.com/getnotice.php3?ID=4806&KEY=b84f4ab06db79ed7fa956ab6c0621a1c

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
I think it likely has to be from two unique IPs. IOW, two different users with different computers. Commuter will be the 3rd person so we'll know for sure now.

But yes, I'm sure it isn't a nice email. I'm betting it isn't something I'd want to send to this gal!

yeah the only thing i can think of is for two successfully registered users to send it to someone who has never been on the site before. oh well...nice try

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You're probably right. And SUFFERING is likely a very good way to describe it. Can you imagine, being in her place and trying to do everything that she can possibly think of, and nothing works? Maybe that is what's happening. Imagine the humiliation it has caused her, the hurt that she may experience every day, but perhaps does not always show. For all you know, she's experienced that every day of her life for years. :bluecry1: I wonder if she feels that she has absolutely no control over this? I think a lot of people would not understand the depths of despair a problem like this can cause. And it isn't funny. Not by a long shot. I'm sure she is WELL aware of it.

Please keep these things in mind, and ask yourself if it is really going to be helpful to say anything.

You know, CuteCNA... I have always been impressed with your posting style but now I am even more impressed. You hit the nail on the head. I just HAVE to believe this is the issue.

She is a sweet and kind person. I honestly believe there is a medical problem and I totally agree with you. She has likely tried just about everything and nothing works. I too, am quite sure she is well aware of it simply by her behaviors at work.

I think it will be helpful if I say something assuming I may have her cure. If she reasearches this she is going to find it is because she is too alkaline and that is WRONG! Merely going by a patient I had with the same odor, it is because she is too Acidic. I may well have the cure, but she will have to hear me out.

I just don't have good approach with these issues. I'm farrr too blunt.

Sure wish YOU were here, you would have a much better approach than I.

BTW.. I darn sure wish you were a CNA in MY hospital! You don't just have knowledge of your job, YOU have wisdom. A huge difference!

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