Gum Chewing

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What's everyone's opinions on chewing gum while on the job?

Just curious because I love to chew gum but I feel as though no one in my hospital does it. :eek:

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I chew gum at work:

- It keeps me awake for my 12-14 hour noc shifts

- It gives me an outlet for stress instead of eating.

- I NEVER blow bubbles, crack it, chew with mouth open, etc. Yuck!

to each their own. As long as it doesn't negatively affect me or compromise pt safety, I couldn't care less what other RNs do.

I have much bigger fish to fry, as one poster already stated. I barely have time to pee or eat, let alone check people for gum. :lol2:

Cheers,

Diane, RN

I agree, I chew it also and I am careful with it as well, so many sounds annoy me that I would be surprised if anyone could tell from listening that I chew it and quiet honestly, seems I always encounter people with terrible breath and worry that might be me. Altoids and the listerine strips are to strong for me, they burn my tongue and tic tacs last like 2 mins.

Now, I do loathe CLICKY PENS!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i need to put my boots on...there is too much poop in this thread

call me what you want - lets all be realistic here.

at some point or another - all of us have chewed gum at work.

to imply that you never have or never will chew gum at work is like saying you have never farted at work, gave your boss the finger (behind there back), cried, yelled at familes from hell or intentionally ****** off the arrogant md with a 0300 tylenol order.

be it professional or not, who cares!!!!!

honestly who cares.

of all the issues in nursing - this would be at the bottom of the barrel.

moderators please close this thread - it is nit-picking at its worst

believe it or not, i have *never* chewed gum at work, nor will i ever. too much dental work. i haven't chewed gum in decades. i have also never given my boss the finger or yelled at families from hell. (i have, however, deliberately ****** them off.)

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

i am totally amazed that all of the gum chewers on allnurses.com chew discreetly and like an adult. i wonder where all these cud chewing, gum popping, bubble-blowing folks are coming from . . .

i know several folks who chew gum and insist that they always chew discreetly, that no one ever notices their gum. i beg to differ. one of them is known for gum cracking and popping and the other has more than once blown a bubble so big it got caught in her hair. i suspect that some of the folks on this thread who are convinced that no one ever notices their gum are wrong.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I'm kidding . . . .just had to pull your chain a bit:clown:. Blame my husband, whose life goal is pulling MY chain. :rolleyes:

Btw - I never snap, pop, blow bubbles, or otherwise make a nuisance of myself.

Although I did notice a man chewing gum in church the other day (I had some too so I wouldn't blow bad breath on anyone as I sang the worship songs) . . . .but it is a bit distracting to watch someone chew. Although that may simply have been because of this thread!! :D

steph

I think we all may be giving gum-chewers a sly drool check after reading this thread!! :lol2: (c'mon, lamazeteacher we're just having a little fun)

Mi Vida Loca, I'm very sensitive to noises, too. Clocks that click when the numbers change make me c r a z y :bugeyes:

People whistling in the grocery aisles, sniffling in church, omg. Don't much care for things that blink, either, but that's pretty hard to avoid.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I personally never said no one knows when I am chewing gum...I just don't think they care that much. I, in fact, will actually ask pts/family's permission to chew during a visit on most occasions.

People are entitled to their opinions on gum chewing. Mine is this, chewing gum is not unprofessional, doing "other things" with gum on the job is unprofessional. So, when I run into other nurses or professionals who may not appreciate my gum chewing I can live with the notion that they might consider that unprofessional...I doubt, however, that they equate that in any fashion to my ability to professionally care for my patients, cuz I have mad nursing skills in my areas of expertise and I work crazy hard to maintain and grow them. It is not necessary that my peers approve of my personal habits in order for us to work together for common goals.

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Specializes in psych, case management,.

I worked like crazy..got all my work done on time..took excellent care of my patients...loved my job when I was working...got called in all the time because they knew I would come in..and yes, I chewed gum...it was my stress buster.. I was chewing quietly at the nursing station. It went in the trash can on the way out to the patients... a pack a night...if that was the worst habit I had...after seeing some of the things I have seen in all my years..lol..I consider myself a saint. Talking about being sanitary?? that makes smile..when I see all the hair falling all over patients nowadays and some of the slop people wear to work...and people complain about gum...??? I'm sorry, but the hair is far worse than the gum will ever be...that is just gross...

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i wonder where all these cud chewing, gum popping, bubble-blowing folks are coming from . . .

that would be me...

and my bazooka joe.

leslie

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Now, I do loathe CLICKY PENS!!!!!!!!!!!

Clicky pens... clickclick.... clickclickclickclick :sofahider.

The BiC ECOlutions pen is the best :up:

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
Clicky pens... clickclick.... clickclickclickclick :sofahider.

The BiC ECOlutions pen is the best :up:

Oh, that makes me laugh!! One agency used to call me to work in their smallish ER on nights. There was one female ER MD who is from out of town and is rather ...PARTICULAR about who she works with and what they do. On her list of pet peeves is gum chewing and pen clicking. There is a list of her dislikes and the charge nurse makes sure first time agency nurses are aware. The items on her list drive her CRAZY!! If she sees someone chewing gum, she walks right up to them and holds out her hand, palm up. She says "You. Gum. OUT!! Right now. Right here. Spit it out. Out!Out! If she sees you chewing it again, she takes the whole pack.

The pen clicking sends her into orbit. She will confiscate your pen. I knew about her oddities, and thankfully have never been the butt of it.

My mom used to do some of the same "spit out your gum" type of thing, so the MD and I got along really well. I knew what not to do coming in.

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

As above. Quite and not with a patient.

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Oh, that makes me laugh!! One agency used to call me to work in their smallish ER on nights. There was one female ER MD who is from out of town and is rather ...PARTICULAR about who she works with and what they do. On her list of pet peeves is gum chewing and pen clicking. There is a list of her dislikes and the charge nurse makes sure first time agency nurses are aware. The items on her list drive her CRAZY!! If she sees someone chewing gum, she walks right up to them and holds out her hand, palm up. She says "You. Gum. OUT!! Right now. Right here. Spit it out. Out!Out! If she sees you chewing it again, she takes the whole pack.

The pen clicking sends her into orbit. She will confiscate your pen. I knew about her oddities, and thankfully have never been the butt of it.

:eek: Oh no no no. If she didn't birth me or sign my paycheck, that would NOT be happening.:uhoh3:

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:eek: Oh no no no. If she didn't birth me or sign my paycheck, that would NOT be happening.:uhoh3:

i'm with you, wooh.

rather, i'd be blowing and clicking away, with a skip in my step.:devil:

leslie

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