I must be getting old: A rant

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

I just got off the elevator with yet another person cracking their gum, mouth wide open. It wouldn't have been so bad except she was nicely dressed in a suit, and her hair was neatly done. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Daily, I see people walking around with their mouths open cracking gum, unbelievable displays of cleavage and I am often overwhelmed by the scent of either perfume or heavy colognes. I'm giving a pass on the spiked heels and the long fake nails which may or may not be neatly groomed. In the past, we nurses have been harsh on ourselves about unprofessional appearances but honestly, this is a much larger problem. Again most of the people I see like this are either wearing suits or lab coats; physicians are definitely NOT immune from this slobbishness. Is professionalism emphasized anymore? I guess it wouldn't even bother me except I hate the sound of gum slurping in my ear and I don't think I should have to hold my breath on the elevator in order to indulge someone's need to slather themselves with perfume. Whew! I just had to get that off my chest.

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Ewwww...I'm not a fan of perfume, but the gum thing disgusts me.

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I used to get so tired of my dad saying disapprovingly, "In MY day....." or "When I was your age......"

Now I'm doing it to my kids!! Manners......they're so simple, yet so elusive........

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Specializes in Accepted...Master's Entry Program, 2008!.

Gum chewing does not bother me. But the popping does.

And the perfume thing is disgusting. We've to one person on each floor in the building that wears far too much. As soon as I pass the entry doors, I can tell if these persons are in the office today or not, because I can smell them.

Some fashion person said, "I should only be able to smell your perfume/cologne if I am HUGGING you." Which is correct. We've got the lady upstairs that insists on slathering on several ounces of stinky perfume that leaves a waft behind her. The other guy insists on slathering on several ounces of stinky cologne that makes one's eyes water if you get within 10 feet.

As to the question of professionalism, I think not. I think doctors and attorneys that are actually in court are the last people to wear nice dress clothes. Offices are almost all casual or business casual.

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Specializes in PICU, surgical post-op.
As soon as I pass the entry doors, I can tell if these persons are in the office today or not, because I can smell them.

Just the other day, someone asked me if X had been on the floor yet. All I had to do was sniff to answer in the affirmative. Now, I really think that this is a problem. We have loads of kids in our PICU in status asthmasticus or with one component or another of RAD. I just don't think it's safe for these kiddos! Anyone know a polite way to bring this up to the perfume wearer? (It doesn't help that I'm the youngest one on my floor, either ... but with a sister who almost can't go to church anymore because of all the perfume, I'm kinda sensitive to the subject!)

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Specializes in Tele, Acute.

Our Louisiana down home girl Britney Spears always has a mouth full of gum. In her intervews you can see it sticking out between her teeth when she smiles.

Nasty, nasty, nasty an disgusting!

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Specializes in Corrections, neurology, dialysis.
Our Louisiana down home girl Britney Spears always has a mouth full of gum. In her intervews you can see it sticking out between her teeth when she smiles.

Nasty, nasty, nasty an disgusting!

UGH! I know! I just about fell out of my chair when I saw her interview with Matt Lauer. Here she is expecting her second child, dressed like a trailer trash ho, her boobs falling out of her shirt, chomping on gum on national television. Good LORD!

I think of myself as a progressive person. I am very liberal in my attitudes. But there is nothing wrong with good old manners and self-respect. I, too, am annoyed by perfume, long nails, gum popping......and let's not even get into loud cell phone conversations and chewing with your mouth open.

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

the gum chewing and popping with the mouth open absolutely disgusts me.

i'm not too wild about the thong underwear hanging out from the tops of the scrub pants someone has rolled down to her hips, the bright red boxers hanging out from the top of someone's scrub pants that are hanging off his a$$, the cleavage, or the various overbearing perfume smells either.

i know i'm getting old.

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When my daughter was 13 she insisted on wearing hip huggers. Problem was she was pulling them as low as she could. I kept pulling them up from behind. She finally whipped around and glared at me and said "They're called hip-huggers, Mom!"

Hubs just stared at her and said, "If you don't pull them up when you're told to, I'll turn them into booby-huggers."

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Specializes in Peds/Newborn.

You are definitely not getting "old." I agree with you 100%. I am only 22, but it seems as though the older I get, I see less and less professionalism and courtesy. My mom and dad have always accepted nothing less than courtesy and respect in my behavior. I was in my nursing school building and a younger student was there for advisement and signing up for classes. She kept popping her gum really loudly while she saw me sitting there studying. I really wanted her to ask me about nursing, but she didn't .I know that we were in a public building, but she was annoying me with all of the popping. I would have told her that professionalism is very important and that gum certainly is not allowed.

Dimples

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Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.
When my daughter was 13 she insisted on wearing hip huggers. Problem was she was pulling them as low as she could. I kept pulling them up from behind. She finally whipped around and glared at me and said "They're called hip-huggers, Mom!"

Hubs just stared at her and said, "If you don't pull them up when you're told to, I'll turn them into booby-huggers."

:rotfl: :rotfl:

I love that!!!! The gum thing drives me out of my tree. Don't even go there with the undies thing. Even worse than the flipped down waist with the undies showing is crack showing. EEEWWWWWWW!

Cindy

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Specializes in ER.

I'm not old either, but my BIGGEST peeve is bra straps. Yes, I grew up when Madonna was cool too, an I can even see how occasionally a black bra strap peeking out of a top when you are TRYING to be sexy could be attractive...

BUT

have people never heard of strapless/racerback bras? If I see one more person with ugly, dirty bra straps hanging out of a tank top, I'm going to scream.

And, as far as perfume goes, there were prominent notes to staff, embellished with highlighter on one unit that I was a student on. There was one staff member that bathed in it, and they were still trying to get her to figure out that all the "no perfume" lectures were actually pointed at her.

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