GUM! Can you chew it on shift?

MoLee228 · Apr 19, 2011

But seriously, I want to slap people in the mouth when I see them chewing gum at work. The only thing that keeps me from doing so is the fear that they'll slap me back.

I would slap you back, lol. Then we would both be fired.

OVER GUM.

Seriously, not a big deal.

But really, slapping a person in the mouth because they are chewing gum? WOW. :eek:

MoLee228 · Apr 19, 2011

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."

Couldn't have said it better myself. :up:

TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN · Apr 19, 2011

Chewing gum should only be done in private? I admit I like a piece of Juicy Fruit from time to time, but the pleasurable experience from having a piece of it isn't so intense or overwhelming to warrant the need for privacy...

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2011

Chewing gum should only be done in private? I admit I like a piece of Juicy Fruit from time to time, but the pleasurable experience from having a piece of it isn't so intense or overwhelming to warrant the need for privacy...

Maybe you're chewing it wrong. Ooooohhhhh gum, yes! Mmmmmmmm!

CompleteUnknown · Apr 20, 2011

Maybe it's a cultural or regional thing or whether or not your parents chewed gum when you were young and impressionable or whether or not you ever almost choked from laughing or gasping with gum in your mouth or any of a million other things. I don't see many people chewing gum when I'm out and about and it's really rare to see anyone chewing gum at work.

Either that or they're all so discreet with it that I just never notice!

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · May 21, 2011

Also, to Alta, when I read that post about someone's mother saying that only whores chew gum, my jaw dropped. It was a pretty splashy comment to make, even though it was the mom's opinion and not the poster's (although the poster did say that gum should only be chewed in private!), so I don't think it should be surprising that many have felt the need to respond to that.

I don't know Alta (although I bet her mom and my mom would get along great;) ), but here's 2 things to consider: A) Alta was raised by her mom, and when you're a kid, you are very influenced by your parents opinions. Either you tend to agree with them, and it creates a framework for your opinions as an adult (as some of my mom's opinions I do share), or you go completely against them as an adult b/c you do not want to become your mother!! My daughter will most likely take this route, and in some aspects I completely go against many of her (my mother's) ignorant stereotypes.

The other thing:

B) I didn't note how old Alta is, but there's a very good possibility that her mother is reprresentative of the patient population we deal with. I know many of us have issue with this, but it's called a GENERATION GAP. Not all people and all values are challenged from generation to generation, but there are always some elements that the younger generation will see differently, and the elders will never get (tattoos and piercings are usually up there). My mother cannot fathom having bare legs (no pantyhose) for a dressed up event.

And for the record: I think gum chewing looks very unprofessional. I am a casual gum chewer, but never at work.

Altra, BSN, RN · May 22, 2011

I don't know Alta (although I bet her mom and my mom would get along great;) ), but here's 2 things to consider: A) Alta was raised by her mom, and when you're a kid, you are very influenced by your parents opinions. Either you tend to agree with them, and it creates a framework for your opinions as an adult (as some of my mom's opinions I do share), or you go completely against them as an adult b/c you do not want to become your mother!! My daughter will most likely take this route, and in some aspects I completely go against many of her (my mother's) ignorant stereotypes.
The other thing:
B) I didn't note how old Alta is, but there's a very good possibility that her mother is reprresentative of the patient population we deal with. I know many of us have issue with this, but it's called a GENERATION GAP. Not all people and all values are challenged from generation to generation, but there are always some elements that the younger generation will see differently, and the elders will never get (tattoos and piercings are usually up there). My mother cannot fathom having bare legs (no pantyhose) for a dressed up event.
And for the record: I think gum chewing looks very unprofessional. I am a casual gum chewer, but never at work.

Um, did you mean me? Altra?

No idea how I (and my mother?) were personally called back into this thread, but for the record ...

In this thread I commented on a comment made by another poster regarding something her mother said in the past. (follow that?)

My mother is an aging hippie, far younger than you would suspect from looking at my age, which is on my profile.

Carry on.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · May 22, 2011

Um, did you mean me? Altra?
No idea how I (and my mother?) were personally called back into this thread, but for the record ...
In this thread I commented on a comment made by another poster regarding something her mother said in the past. (follow that?)
My mother is an aging hippie, far younger than you would suspect from looking at my age, which is on my profile.
Carry on.

Yes, I spelled your name wrong, sorry.

I didn't happen to notice your age. I'm sure it's on your profile, but I didn't feeling getting out of the 'reply' page midpost to check.

I guess I didn't follow the sequence completely.... my bad...

And I'm sensing a defensiveness here. I was using your post as an example, I actually thought I was on your side. My apologies if it didn't come across that way. But I seemed to have struck a nerve with you.

I think the masses here seem to forget that this is SUPPOSED to be a forum for friendly debate, by professionals.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · May 22, 2011

I guess I didn't follow the sequence completely.... my bad...
And I'm sensing a defensiveness here. I was using your post as an example, I actually thought I was on your side. My apologies if it didn't come across that way. But I seemed to have struck a nerve with you.

This thread is also a month old. Those of us that we having the conversation aren't having it anymore, so I don't think anyone needs to be backed up (correctly or not) at this point.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · May 22, 2011

Agreed. don't need any back up, I'm good. Didn't check the post dates (for some reason it came up as an active thread on my page). Trust me I didn't go looking for a gum chewing thread:D, but it was interesting, so I chimed in. I've had people respond to my thread years later. I just ignore them if they're no longer relevant.

klone, MSN, RN · May 22, 2011

Yes, and my patients thank me, especially at 4 am when I'm tired and dehydrated and have coffee breath and am 3 inches from a new mother's face as I'm helping her with breastfeeding.

And I apologize for perpetuating an old thread. I hate when that happens. And now that I think about it, I think I responded to this post the first time it rolled around.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · May 22, 2011

Trust me I didn't go looking for a gum chewing thread:D, but it was interesting, so I chimed in.

*Phew*

Sometimes I do wonder what sort of mission people were on when they bring up a years old post- I think the record I've seen was an 8 year old post. A month old really isn't that bad, but my first thought when I got the subscription email when you posted was "I'm still subsrcibed to this thread?"