Gross Out Co-Worker

[Meerkat]

OK, I know I've posted about this before but things have gotten worse! My co-worker has nauseating, foul gas and she passes it in close proximity to people. I don't know if she has some kind of health issue, but her gas makes your eyes water. Last night one of the techs actually had a dry heave because it is so nauseating. What I find particularly irritating is that she toots all day long---now I know sometimes one can slip out when you don't want it to, but if I know I have to toot, I excuse myself and go to the rest room. She seems totally uninhibited about this, as she never ever excuses herself.

Secondly, she is always laying towels down on the seats in the station, because she has 'accidents'. Sometimes she has these accidents on our seats. I understand incontinence but there are products to help with that. And it's not just urine---she has also bled on the chairs and then go change her clothes. I have as heavy a period as anyone, and I know that bleeding through like that can be contained. Unless it's some kind of different problem.

Thirdly, she talks with her mouth full, crumbs all stuck to lips, half chewed food rolling around in her mouth CONSTANTLY. It is disgusting! Sometimes when she is talking she even spews a little bit of food in your direction.

Let me say that this person is nice enough, she means well most of the time but has been stepping on toes by making nursing decisions although she is not a nurse. For example, when I pt would not take his meds, she negotiated with him to take CERTAIN meds, which was not really a good thing because the order was for the meds to be given together. She did this in front of me, without discussing it with me first, and so put me in a difficult position in front of the patient who was very volatile. She also went to my boss and told my boss that I was sexually assaulted and so I should not have certain kinds of patients. I told her that IN CONFIDENCE (she's a therapist) and I feel it was not her business to go to my boss and tell her my personal information. Moreover, I do not want my boss thinking I am too fragile to handle certain types of patients.

Does anyone have any advice for dealing with this person? Like I said, she doesn't mean any harm, but she is wreaking havoc on the unit!

Thanks!

[IMustBeCrazy]

I strongly recommend that you not make any moves that could be perceived as harassment, i.e. printing out this thread, confronting in front of coworkers, or doing anything as a group that could possibly be construed as intimidating.

The best thing you can do is:

1) Talk to her PRIVATELY and HONESTLY (even if it is awkward). Explain that everyone passes gas occasionally, but it is to the point of affecting your work. Explain that infection control would have a field day with the chair towels let alone JHACO. I would end the conversation by stating that if this was me, I would hope someone would have the same respect that I am showing to her to come talk to me first before it could possibly go any further. I would make it clear that I am not here to invade her privacy by demanding to know what medical condition is afoot here, in fact I would rather not know. But out of respect for coworkers and maintaining positive work relationships you know she would want to know these things so that she can take steps to address whatever issues she has.

If this doesn't do the trick then:

2) Go to mgmt/infection control.

If that doesn't work:

3) Call OSHA.

And yes, I had to do this with a stinky coworker once. It's not fun but you owe it to yourself to do the right thing and not allow yourself to be a victim here.

Good luck!

[Elisheva]

Yeah, I was joking about printing off the posts. Never occurred to me that someone might take that seriously.

[SeattleRain]

I just had to comment:-0.. If you ever decide to give up the medical field, you have a promising future as a comedy writer~ Your comments seriously were hilarious.. Seriously! LOL.. I can't help but feel sorry for all involved. Could she be that ignorant?

[SeattleRain]

I strongly recommend that you not make any moves that could be perceived as harassment, i.e. printing out this thread, confronting in front of coworkers, or doing anything as a group that could possibly be construed as intimidating.

The best thing you can do is:

1) Talk to her PRIVATELY and HONESTLY (even if it is awkward). Explain that everyone passes gas occasionally, but it is to the point of affecting your work. Explain that infection control would have a field day with the chair towels let alone JHACO. I would end the conversation by stating that if this was me, I would hope someone would have the same respect that I am showing to her to come talk to me first before it could possibly go any further. I would make it clear that I am not here to invade her privacy by demanding to know what medical condition is afoot here, in fact I would rather not know. But out of respect for coworkers and maintaining positive work relationships you know she would want to know these things so that she can take steps to address whatever issues she has.

If this doesn't do the trick then:

2) Go to mgmt/infection control.

If that doesn't work:

3) Call OSHA.

And yes, I had to do this with a stinky coworker once. It's not fun but you owe it to yourself to do the right thing and not allow yourself to be a victim here.

Good luck!

This was an excellent post!

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

This thread is hilarious!

Here's who I immediately pictured when I read about this co-worker ROFL!!!!

(Remember this character from "The Dark Crystal?" She was always belching/farting, and her eye kept popping out...

[rktele]

Sounds like someone I went to school with- she didn't pass!

Go straight to your supervisor/ director. This is a health issue, and just plain GROSS:barf01:I can't believe no one has said anything to her yet.

[sunseeker]

I strongly recommend that you not make any moves that could be perceived as harassment, i.e. printing out this thread, confronting in front of coworkers, or doing anything as a group that could possibly be construed as intimidating.

The best thing you can do is:

1) Talk to her PRIVATELY and HONESTLY (even if it is awkward). Explain that everyone passes gas occasionally, but it is to the point of affecting your work. Explain that infection control would have a field day with the chair towels let alone JHACO. I would end the conversation by stating that if this was me, I would hope someone would have the same respect that I am showing to her to come talk to me first before it could possibly go any further. I would make it clear that I am not here to invade her privacy by demanding to know what medical condition is afoot here, in fact I would rather not know. But out of respect for coworkers and maintaining positive work relationships you know she would want to know these things so that she can take steps to address whatever issues she has.

If this doesn't do the trick then:

2) Go to mgmt/infection control.

If that doesn't work:

3) Call OSHA.

And yes, I had to do this with a stinky coworker once. It's not fun but you owe it to yourself to do the right thing and not allow yourself to be a victim here.

Good luck!

This was about the ONLY approriate reply to this post.

Treat the subject of this post as a HUMAN! Have a little respect! How would you feel if any of these things were done to you or someone you love? This woman is aware of excretory problems as evidenced by the towels. She is most likely more fed up with it than you are. She most likely has an ongoing medical issue that is not being treated very successfully. Should she be approached? Yes. BUT, She should be addressed with KINDNESS and DIGNITY, not with an air freshener! She maybe unaware of her eating habits, please be kind to this woman, she has already endured a lot of rudeness.

[blueheaven]

We had a co-worker who exhibited many of the behaviors that your therapist does (PLUS a body odor problem). We went to our nurse manager and she talked with her about the problem and the problem was resolved.

[SeattleRain]

Yes, we must have compassion for those of us that are far less fortunate, in whatever case that may be~ We never know when we may be in a bad situation. Education and being pro-active can be very helpful. However, there is a practical side/health issues that must be addressed as well~

[luvkitties]

Sounds like someone I went to school with- she didn't pass!

Go straight to your supervisor/ director. This is a health issue, and just plain GROSS:barf01:I can't believe no one has said anything to her yet.

:chuckle Reminds me of when I was a student in clinicals...one of our group members was sitting at a busy nurse's station doing some charting...several of us saw her picking her nose and EATING it! :barf01: The instructor had to gently tell her it wasn't appropriate, and if she must do that, perhaps she should do that privately.

BTW, this person didn't graduate with us, but not because of the goober gala---she almost gave KCL IVP :stone

~Lori

[Meerkat]

this was about the only approriate reply to this post.

treat the subject of this post as a human! have a little respect! how would you feel if any of these things were done to you or someone you love? this woman is aware of excretory problems as evidenced by the towels. she is most likely more fed up with it than you are. she most likely has an ongoing medical issue that is not being treated very successfully. should she be approached? yes. but, she should be addressed with kindness and dignity, not with an air freshener! she maybe unaware of her eating habits, please be kind to this woman, she has already endured a lot of rudeness.

[i agree with you, i do! but, you must keep in mind that chewing and spewing is not a health issue. body odor can be contained. and sitting on wet seats, that she has not cleaned, is downright vulgar behavior.[/b]

[sunseeker]

[i agree with you, i do! but, you must keep in mind that chewing and spewing is not a health issue. body odor can be contained. and sitting on wet seats, that she has not cleaned, is downright vulgar behavior.[/b]

this was about the only approriate reply to this post.

treat the subject of this post as a human! have a little respect! how would you feel if any of these things were done to you or someone you love? this woman is aware of excretory problems as evidenced by the towels. she is most likely more fed up with it than you are. she most likely has an ongoing medical issue that is not being treated very successfully. should she be approached? yes. but, she should be addressed with kindness and dignity, not with an air freshener! she maybe unaware of her eating habits, please be kind to this woman, she has already endured a lot of rudeness.

yes i agree you have a potential infection control issue. you should not be sitting in wet seats, i would also argue you shouldn't be sitting on fabric seats either. she should be placing a chuck on the seat not a towel, ideally a disposable chuck. study after study has shown that in a typical office building a desk area has more multiple times more microbes than the community toilet. any one who has passed a little gas on a fabric seat has the potential to innoculated it with millions of microbes. think about that for a while and let your ocd run wild.

when i first met my husband he chewed with his mouth open ...yes it's totally gross...however he had no idea he was doing it...with positive encouragement years of learned behavior was quickly changed.

all i'm saying it that every person deserve respect, dignity and compassion. this person either knows better and is doing the best she can to control the issue which is most likely of a physiological etiology (and i'm sure her self esteem has suffered greatly) or has gotten this far in her life without knowing any better, (unlikely) and needs a helping hand.