Hospitals employees have many different ways of combating offensive odors produced by patients' bodies. The odors may be due to infectious diarrhea, necrotic infections, or excessive body fat. We've all been in that situation many times, and we've all dealt with it one way or another, whether it be through machines which suck in the odor and expel neutral smelling air into the room, or potpourri, peppermint spirits that you can sprinkle about, essential oils, or chemical products that you can spray such as Glade.
However, when do these measures become offensive to use? One time I was washing up an incontinent patient who had c-diff and although it smelled rather gross, the situation was worsened when another nurse walked over to the doorway and started spraying Glade into the room as I was washing up. Because of that, I had to contend with an extremely unpleasant smelling combination of cinnamon and ****. I would have rather just dealt with the stool.
What is your experience in these matters? Does your hospital have the machines that suck in the odor? Or do you spray or sprinkle substances around? What is your preference?
We used to have a pine scented deodorizer to spray in our patients' rooms if there was a diarrhea or other similar incident. One day, when one of my coworkers was caring for a GI bleeder, our nursing supervisor walked into the unit and said, "OMG, it smells like someone *(&^ on a Christmas tree!"
She was right.
It was 'in a lilac bush; per my Mom who always had a can of lilac spray around.
What a funny topic! I'll share something embarrassing... I was alone in the office - not expecting anyone to enter sometime soon - so let one rip. Within minutes a staff member approached the office so I quickly sprayed Glade Tropical air freshener then sat back at the computer like nothing happened. The staff member asked why it smelt 'sweet'. I said the office was a bit stuffy so I sprayed some air freshener. He said nothing more until he went to leave and said "can I borrow that spray sometime? Sometimes I get a bit 'stuffy'" and winked. Damn Glade.
Almost all of the sprays will set me coughing. A couple puffs of albuterol usually stops the cough. I have reactive airway disease, so I don't do well with sprays and perfumes.
Nurse Leigh
1,149 Posts
We had one of those automatic scent misters in the employee bathroom that I swear smelled like Fruity Pebbles, only way sweeter. Blech.
And fake vanilla isn't much better. Oh, and balsam is gross.