GUM! Can you chew it on shift?

jmtndl · Apr 17, 2011

Only a group of nurses could make such a huge deal about something so minor! I chew gum all the time. My patients and usually my co-workers are unaware that I have gum in my mouth. I do it because I am not allowed to drink water or anything in a work area so as not to spread around filthy disease causing germs from my drink. As a result, I am chronically dehydrated with a sticky, dry mouth. I do not want to offend my patients with foul breath, as so many of my co-workers offend me. I call gum a "bad-breath adaptive device" and will continue to discreetly use it to keep my breath fresh and inoffensive.And I am not cheap, a whore, or stupid.

*Posh* · Apr 17, 2011

I recently changed jobs and during orientation, they told us that during the last state survey, a nurse was fined for chewing gum. They said it's the same as eating at the nurses' station... ridiculous!

*Posh* · Apr 17, 2011

Oh, and I do chew gum! I take medication that makes my mouth very dry and since drinks are banned, well...

OCNRN63, RN · Apr 17, 2011

Gum chewers are of poor upbringing? Lesser genetic stock? "Cheap"? "Whores"? I find it so interesting the level of visceral hate of gum emotional disgust that has been culturally ingrained in some people over gum. For those of us without the childhood programming, it seems so very silly and a foreign concept.
Understandable: "It's mildly annoying"
Ludicrous: "Gum chewing is a vile habit that is not only destroying nursing, but the moral fabric of society. It should never be done by proper human beings. If you do, it should be done shamefully in the bathroom and never spoken of, much like masturbation."
That hyperbole is just an amalgamation of some the attitudes put forth here. That attitude is even more silly than trying to say gum is incompatible with professionalism because it would affect the image of those paid to be seen or talk a lot, like a lawyer, news anchor, or Miss USA. Many nurses spend a lot of time not talking and being seen by patients. Actually, on that note, a lot of lawyers sit in offices and read/type 90% of the time.
My SO, who is an engineer, just laughed at this thread. Her boss gave her some gum at the office today. Guess I shoulda stuck with engineering... more the money AND the gum!

Gum chewers are probably all fat nurses, too.

netglow, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

Ha, I usually do just what I want to do. If I want to pee, I pee. If I want to eat, I eat. If I want to chew gum, I chew gum.

You all are silly people.

NPinWCH · Apr 17, 2011

I am a gum chewer, but I do it discreetly, tuck it against my cheek when talking with patients and do most of my chewing while doing paperwork.

I just wanted to add a few things in support of gum chewing. Several studies have supported gum chewing as a way to increase concentration, mood, restlessness and other things.

Baylor did a study with kids, half chewed gum/half did not, the gum chewers did better on math scores and final grades. The teachers found the gum chewers needed fewer breaks, were quieter and paid better attention.

Another study found that gum chewers eat fewer high calorie snacks than those who don't. It decreased intake by about 60 calories, not much but it all counts. Chewing gum also burns 11 calories more an hour than not chewing.

It is proven that chewing gum for 20 minutes after eating helps prevent tooth decay by increasing flow of saliva. That flow of saliva also helps with acid reflux.

Gum chewing increases blood flow to the brain by 25%, while no studies have been done to show that makes a difference to cognition, this may be the reason the school kids did better on tests.

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-22/health/chewing.gum.benefits_1_wrigley-science-institute-gum-eighth-grade-math-students/3?_s=PM:HEALTH

There is even evidence that chewing gum helps post-op patients pass flatus sooner and avoid illeus than those that didn't chew gum. The study was on colectomy patients. It's inexpensive, safe and easy to implement.

http://archsurg.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/143/8/788

abbaking · Apr 17, 2011

As long as its still a free country (USA), I will chew my gum where ever I want. I am so tired of these petty rules infringing on my personal freedoms.

I pay my taxes and I will chew gum (its not a crime) on the job if I want.

That being said, I have NEVER been to a hospital that has had any "ban" on gum chewing.

For many people, myself included, gum chewing has a number of positive benefits including improved concentration, fresh breath, stress relief, cigarette craving relief (trying to kick the habit) and it wards off hunger.

As far as "looking like a professional" - I still have yet to fully comprehend what a PROFESSIONAL bedside nurses looks like : I wear scrubs, overglorified PJ's!!!

I think a little indulgence is fine - if I am being worked like Kunta Kinte with no staff and 28 patients, demanding "customers", antiquated equipment, stuffy hot unit with bad air conditioning, bad working conditions, and my own personal stress at not being allowed to smoke at a non smoking hospital - You bet your gluteus maximus i am gonna chew gum!!!

peeweedelivery · Apr 17, 2011

I work L&D and sometimes I am pushing with a patient for hours. I ask them to "blow" "pant" "breath" etc....and I ask them do do what I do, and I am in their face helping them, and teaching them how to do these things...I can't imagine doing this without the help of gum, and I am careful with it, but I would never blow or breath this closely in my patient's face with bad breath!! It would be ridiculous to stop and brush my teeth in the middle of pushing, or put a mint in my mouth every 10 minutes. JMHO.

DogWmn · Apr 17, 2011

LOL this is a funny thread. It takes me way way back to when dinosaurs walked the earth and I worked in a hospital. Policies were very strict, of course we wore all white dress uniforms (no pants allowed) including caps and nylons, no colored finger nail polish allowed and no long finger nails, no makup except a clear lip balm, hair up or off the collar, very few had pierced ears and if you did - small discreet posts only and many hospitals required you remove earings of any kind during your shift, no jewlery except a watch, needless to say abosolutly no gum chewing. No tats anywhere...LOL, in my day many nursing schools would not admit a student if they had a tat. WHY you ask, well if you'll look back in history when old Flo and Clara were around "nurses" were considered well "ladies of the night". Many policies were instituted to raise the rep of a nurse to a professional level. Even later, like WWI and II, and into the 50's nurses were always "suspect" because we handled nude people, bodily fluids and "knew how the body really works" considered way too much info for "nice girls" and of course were considerd "loose" by "polite" society. :rolleyes:

What I find interesting is nurses are still fighting for recognition as a professional..hmmmm.

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

My friend works at a hospital in which gum chewing is prohibited while working, they also have their nurses walking around saying, "Is there anything I can do for you, I have the time."

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

I'm new to this site, and I find it sort of strange that this topic is where my first post is going. It just happened to be one that was out there when I signed in.
This is going to sound kind of harsh, but now I find gum chewing by anyone I see while in their work environment, who deals with people, to be totally unprofessional.
A few years ago, the Children's hospital where I work banned gum. This was due to a very unfortunate incident involving a co-worker, who is close friend of mine.
We had a traumatic arrest on a young boy who was hit by a truck. He had almost no open wounds, except for a small laceration on his head. I only mention that because during the code, the gum she was chewing flew out of her mouth when she was calling out an order. The gum landed on the patient...that's why I mentioned the lack of open wounds. (I don't even want to think about the gum having ended up in a wound.) She was immediately excused from the trauma room, eventually sent home after being reprimanded, then scolded by more than one boss, and suspended for a day. (I still think she was lucky that's all she got. But it's in the past now, and she's still my co-worker and friend.)
(The child died in the OR after a thoracotomy and laparotomy, etc. - we all gave him the best chance we could.)
So needless to say, that's why gum is banned at my facility. We are allowed mints, and so far no incident has happened like what my friend experienced. I'm sure I'd know about it if it happened. We are strongly encouraged to use a mint (or other candy) that can be swallowed easily. Some of us (myself included) sometimes even carry a small tube of toothpaste and use a very tiny amount - I swallow it - to freshen our breath when needed.

Thats unfortunate, but couldnt it have easily been a mint/candy that slid out of her mouth? Just asking.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

Thats unfortunate, but couldnt it have easily been a mint/candy that slid out of her mouth? Just asking.

She'll be quick to tell you that "oh no, a mint or candy could be swallowed!" as though gum couldn't be swallowed or parked.