Bathroom Door Question/ Best Practice

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. What do you think?

    • 16
      You're being crazy &/or obsessive. Who care?
    • 11
      Kinda gross/ unsanitary/ unprofessional but you should just let it go.
    • 6
      Have another talk with the staff and explain in more detail your rational but don't expect change.
    • 4
      Email the off-site manager/ Infection Prevention & Control & post a note on the door of best practices.

37 members have participated

Hi everyone -

Can you please let me know exactly how crazy/ obsessive/ petty I'm being - if at all. LOL.

I've recently started working in a small public health clinic and my office as well as our clinic room (mostly for well child clinics) is directly across the hall from the staff bathroom.

I guess it's always been that the bathroom door was left wide open after and between uses by other (non-health care) staff. I've recently asked that we please keep it closed or semi-closed for both sanitary and professional reasons (who wants to walk past an open bathroom when taking their newborn in for immunizations and assessments?!). Also, tbh, I'm very scent sensitive and just am grossed out with my office so close.

I didn't think this would at all be an issue but I'm getting push back from the couple non-health care staff who've been there for 10-20 years. Not only do they leave it wide open still, but after I close it they open it again minutes later.

I'm considering emailing Infection Prevention & Control for best practice recommendations/ back-up :p

Am I over reacting? Should I let this go in the interest of office peace?

There's 5 of us so I'm pretty sure they'd know who did it lol - and I can tell you now it would be *bad*. As it is I've already got the 2 older staff members purposely opening the door wide after I've just closed it....can't win. I'm going to let it go. :p

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Meh, this is not a hill to die on. I definitely would not recommend going the anonymous sign on door route; I think it would be interpreted as passive- aggressive, and people would have their suspicions about who did it anyway. The next time anyone mentions it or opens the door after you've closed it, you could always go the self-deprecating route: "I must drive everyone crazy with this habit! I'm just so used to closing the door for [your reason here]."

TBH, I'm one of those pesky people who leaves the door open. ������ To air it out a little! If scent is a big problem, maybe donate a can of air freshener to the cause. That would probably rock the boat a bit less than some more direct or extreme approaches.

Never gets old but seriously I work in a nurses station the size of a patient room and this stuff really works.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Meh, this is not a hill to die on. I definitely would not recommend going the anonymous sign on door route; I think it would be interpreted as passive- aggressive, and people would have their suspicions about who did it anyway. The next time anyone mentions it or opens the door after you've closed it, you could always go the self-deprecating route: "I must drive everyone crazy with this habit! I'm just so used to closing the door for [your reason here]."

TBH, I'm one of those pesky people who leaves the door open. ������ To air it out a little! If scent is a big problem, maybe donate a can of air freshener to the cause. That would probably rock the boat a bit less than some more direct or extreme approaches.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I was always taught it's proper etiquette to leave a bathroom door open when not in use because it's assumed that when the door is closed it means it is in use. There's not really anything unsanitary about leaving the door open, is it the sight of a toilet that bothers you?

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Also, tbh, I'm very scent sensitive and just am grossed out with my office so close.

Sometimes you just gotta take a deep breath and move on.

:wideyed: :dead:

;)

Am I over reacting? Should I let this go in the interest of office peace?

While I personally agree that it's a pretty weird habit to leave the bathroom door wide open after you've finished your business, I don't think it's worth raising a stink about it...

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I was always taught it's proper etiquette to leave a bathroom door open when not in use because it's assumed that when the door is closed it means it is in use. There's not really anything unsanitary about leaving the door open, is it the sight of a toilet that bothers you?

i've always labored under the same assumption. Maybe rearrange your office so you cannot see the bathroom from your desk?

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

I did a quick on-line search of opinions on this matter. The overwhelming consensus is most people leave an unoccupied bathroom door open. There are no sanitary reasons to do otherwise. In fact bathrooms tend to be cleaner than most kitchens.

Hppy

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Can't you all just compromise and leave the door PARTIALLY OPENED, say 6 inches or so????

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I second the poo-pourri - it's surprisingly effective. It was a life saver on our recent cruise to Mexico.

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Invest in a can of air freshener. When offended, get up, go close the door, and spray the area. Say not a word. Yes, it is inconvenient for you, but it is already inconvenient to be exposed to offensive odors. You have rights too.

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