wearing perfume to work

Nurses General Nursing

Published

thought this would be interesting. what's your policy? i wear a light body splash if any.

Specializes in ER, NICU.
I would argue any RULES against wearing perfume or long nails would be applicable to those who define "common sense" differently. For the benefit and wellness of the patient, we have these rules and I think those unwilling to follow them should seek other employment. I wish ALL hospitals had strict rules against perfume wear, cigarette residues and long nails. Clearly these are needed to protect our patients.

I too, realize rules are required because there people out there who use NO common sense and no judgement abilities.

Now: WHY should GOOD and REASONABLE people who CAN use moderation and common sense be PUNISHED (aka made to follow common sense rules - the "no-dah" ones....) simply because of fools who cannot use good judgement?

Professional nursing REQUIRES good judgement. It requires personal accountability.

It is an INSULT to professional nurses to be held to RULES of conduct and personal hygiene because of SOME people who are unprofessional. (aka ones who dump on cologne, smoke, offensive language, dress sloppy, etc...)

I said professional nurses.

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear no matter how many RULES are imposed.

I guess am old school in that I cannot get used to dealing with unprofessional people who must be fed "professional" behaviors, attitudes, and the like through a set of RULES.

Having to be TOLD how much perfume to wear or not wear is just so insulting.

Whatever happened to being brought up with class, dignity, and accountability? Most of of us professionals grew up and left home YEARS ago.

It is as if someone has to state to seeing people every day: "The sky is blue". I have EYES I KNOW the sky is blue.

I have judgement: I KNOW what to wear and not wear, how to behave and not behave.

That is my point.

But there are people out there that do claim sensitivity when they've never been medically diagnosed as such...my MIL claimed she was allergic to the water out of my tap one year. The next year it was yellow vegetables.

Yes, they say she is sane.

Specializes in CCRN, CNRN, Flight Nurse.
I too, realize rules are required because there people out there who use NO common sense and no judgement abilities.

Are you exempt from the rules? You seem to think so.

It is an INSULT to professional nurses to be held to RULES of conduct and personal hygiene because of SOME people who are unprofessional.

I'm guessing you think NPAs are an insult, too.

It is as if someone has to state to seeing people every day: "The sky is blue". I have EYES I KNOW the sky is blue.

Apparently, then your eyes need checked since you are unable to see that your persistance in wearing a flower garden (be it a 'dab' or a bottle) causes extreme discomfort to others.

I have judgement: I KNOW what to wear and not wear, how to behave and not behave.

Given your replies and comments, that's debateable.

Specializes in ER, NICU.
Are you exempt from the rules? You seem to think so.

I'm guessing you think NPAs are an insult, too.

Apparently, then your eyes need checked since you are unable to see that your persistance in wearing a flower garden (be it a 'dab' or a bottle) causes extreme discomfort to others.

Given your replies and comments, that's debateable.

Be real, please. I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and state I think know what I am saying - in the broad sense.

I am saying it again: SOME things should NOT have to be rules IF common sense were more common.

And btw isn't professional to make PERSONAL attacks. I guess that is why this board makes the rule.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

So let's all refrain from doing it?

Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.

I can see the padlock coming pretty soon...:rotfl:

I love to wear body sprays and Im going to have to get used to not automatically putting them on as soon as I get out of the shower, that is when I start working. I wish I could continue, but if the patients SAY they are allergic, I wouldnt want to be the cause of a reaction.

Specializes in ER, NICU.

Let me give you another example of rule making.

In aviation AND medicine certain computers (rules make up computer programs) help the pilots/doctor guide the plane/patient care. If the pilots/doctors used ONLY computer guided rules and did not use common sense and professional THINKING to guide their behaviors then planes would crash - because computer programming and RULES do not ALWAYS save the plane/patient.

Professionals use the rules/computers as GUIDES - IF the professional does not have enough common sense and professional thinking skills to make judgement calls or abilities.

I believe all professionals (should) KNOW how much perfume to wear on the job. I believe all professionals (should) KNOW to wash their hands after and before each patient contact.

If they don't then they aren't very professional, ARE they????

Maybe people just NEED rules to be professional...but heavens I hope not!

Professionalism is a trait either inate or learned.

One should not be doing the RIGHT thing due to a RULE! They should be doing it because it is RIGHT. Part of being a professional is doing the RIGHT thing (technically, morally, etc) at the RIGHT time ON ones own - NOT because of some RULE.

:uhoh3: :chair:

Jerico: I think maybe you misunderstand. I'm not sure.

The rules aren't there to punish anyone, or to punish you. They are for the benefit of the patient. 2 separate issues. It's not about you, it's about the patient. I quess that's what I find unsettling about your post.

BTW: Old school didn't say wear perfume in moderation. It said don't wear perfume. Period.

Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Jerico--I see you're an ER nurse. Don't you have patients coming in with asthma attacks? Aren't you concerned that you wearing perfume , however moderate it might be, would exacerbate this condition?

it's not just old school--we're taught this in nursing school almost straight away--within the first week

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

When my father was receiving chemo, he was extremely sensitive to scents...to the point that once in the ED he fussed at me for having on perfume when in fact what he smelled was my *toothpaste*.

I had to tell his nurse that she had to get someone to replace her because she had on some strong scent that we could smell from the doorway :(

He was gagging, heaving, and throwing up. Just from smelling her from the doorway. So easily avoided.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

You said it yourself Jerico:

Common sense is not so common.

So that is where rules come into play.

Play by them (your employer's rules) or leave, simple as that.

I know that I've never smelled a strong scent on any of the nurses that have cared for me during my hospital stays but I would hate to have a patient only remember that the care I provided was overlooked and nothing compared to how strong my perfume was... maybe to the point of making them more ill:(.

from both sides of the fence (nurse and patient)

i am compelled to chime in here seeming that fragrances (chemicals) are the main source of my disability.

it started out with migraines and now i am completely disabled from chemicals and isolated / homebound for 15 years because of this. mind you, i am not talking inconvenienced by "smells" as it is not an allergy but has grown into a severe neurological problem as well as affecting all of my organs.

it appears that most people are missing the obvious... and that is, that fragrances "natural" or otherwise are made of chemicals. so, is not the smell that makes so many of us sick it is the chemicals that the soaps, lotions, perfumes, body sprays, etc. are made of. most of these being petro chemicals. petro... yes, derived from the same as in gasoline for your car. this negative reaction happens when when it crosses the blood / brain barrier.

also keeping in mind... if chemicals (as in meds) can make you well they can also make you very sick. think of the fragrances, soaps and lotions that you slather your body with as one big transdermal patch coating all your skin and how it gets into your blood stream.

now, when it comes to getting migraines, asthma attacks and various other reactions from these fragrances, imagine what it would be like to become so incredibly disabled from fragrances and chemicals that you could not leave your house? you could not work, you could not shop, you could not visit or have visitors, you could not go to wedding or funerals (kids, parents, don't matter) and you could not participate in life.

well, that is where i come in.

my latest episode last month is trying to be admitted to the hospital for pancreatitis. i said "trying" because it was something that never happened. not only was there nowhere in the hospital to evaluate me as everywhere and everyone (defensively so) stunk of the usual "personal fragrances" natural, slight, just a spray, a hint of or otherwise but all the rooms have many fragranced sanitizing products in them. not to mention the disenfectants. i waited in an entry hallway for hours bot in pain as well as dehydrated while staff tried to find a room that didn't reek of toxic products, disenfectants or other and was told that there was no way to admit me because there was no room in the hospital to admit me to that didn't have toxic air from these industrial products. also interesting, was that when my doc (who has a fragrance free office) called the hospital from her office to admit me there was not a single nurse that could step forward to help me by being truely "fragrance free." everyone had "just a little" of something on. so, who polices that fragrance free policy ?

so, 10 hours later i ended up with an iv and given 5 bags of fluids to self administer at home ! thank goodness i was a nurse, what would have happened if i wasn't is frightening for me to think about. imagine being that sick and not being able to be accommodated / admitted.

well... bring me a nurse with her clothes dried with bounce and i will show you a code blue ! i will show you anaphylaxis like you have never seen before. and yet, she will not only be trying to save my life but will be the cause of the anaphylaxis and not even know it. after all, she only has shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, deoderant, lotion, nail polish, moisturizer, laundry detergent, bounce, body spray, deoderant soap, and fabreeze ... but she is not wearing any "perfume" !!!

these are all triggers to a person living with mcs.

multiple chemical sensitivity.

and to think .... there are thousands and thousands of people suffering behind closed doors from mcs and many of them are healthcare workers and teachers. many not even making the connection between the chemicals and fragrances and their own health problems.

for me, i think of it as a huge waste of a pediatric special care nurse !

+ Add a Comment