death smells like

[shimike2010]

I was wondering if someone dieing can smell like there sick , like throw up??? Noone else in there home can smell it . I smell it on her and her bedroom and she clean and her room clean ... any idea ? She has CHF

[shimike2010]

She has kidney failure and CHF . I've been with her almost 2 years now . She sleep all the time now . She use to be active some what .

[caliotter3]

There is a smell which I can not describe that I experienced with dying hospice patients. I do not think you are imagining this. Your sense of smell is sensitive to it, while the family members have probably become used to it without their noticing.

[shimike2010]

I ask the other caregiver and she said she don't smell any thing .... my first patient I've been with till the end ... so sad because I love her so thank you

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

Sometimes their is a sour smell with chronic heart failure and chronic renal failure patients. It might be the odor of urea, a waste product, coming out through her pores or in her perspiration. Try to keep her clean and her linens fresh that is all that you can do.

[shimike2010]

Thank you .

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

Spearmint oil on cottonballs placed around the room can help bad smells. I have not tried the ground coffee or iodoform tricks yet.

I really like gold bond powder for it's menthol smell.

Some patients like fragrances, some do not. It is a good idea to ask someone in the family and provide the patients 8preference.

Their is a spray we used in the OR called FOE for fecal odor eliminator. It is the best product that I know of for clearing out bad smells.

[SionainnRN]

Coffee grounds works wonders, just put some in a cup in the corners of the room. We do that in the ER with our more fragrant pts and it works well.