I must be getting old: A rant

Published

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.

I once put some EKG leads on a woman who came in with massive MI...she was in her mid 70's. She had undergone breast augmentation with implants at some previous time in her life....those puppies were as hard as a table top, and stuck straight out like a pair of bullets! It nearly scared the Starbucks out of me....

YIKES!

ROFLMBO:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

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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!)[/quote

Will your manager or HR director or someone in Admin do it? If not, try an anonymous letter or just get courageous and speak up. Speak from your heart and be really sweet and gentle. Be nice, preface it with lots of disclaimers but say what's on your heart and why. If she reacts like a horse's patoot, well, you tried. But maybe she'll get the idea and wear

less - or none, even better.

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Specializes in PICU, surgical post-op.
If she reacts like a horse's patoot, well, you tried.

Now, you think I'll be able to even talk to her with a straight face with the phrase "horse's patoot" ringing through my head?!?!? Thanks a lot! :lol2:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Sharon - I thought of you today as I worked out on the elliptical machine next to a woman who was chewing and snapping and popping her gum . . :uhoh3::nono:

steph

Heh-heh Steph. I bet you might not have even noticed until you read this. Now it will really bug you. That's just a little gift from me. ;)

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Heh-heh Steph. I bet you might not have even noticed until you read this. Now it will really bug you. That's just a little gift from me. ;)

Thanks! :D

There is a guy who works out and whistles . . . that drives me crazier. And he doesn't whistle to the music playing overhead, he whistles old songs from the 50's. Very distracting.

steph

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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.
Do you remember the Carol Burnett Show? This sounds like "Mrs. Whhhhhiggins" who used to work for the Tim Conway character.

But I'll go you one better. For some reason, my hearing has gotten really acute at home. I can hear my husband smacking his lips on his bread or cheese or whatever from the other room, and we sit next to each other at supper. And if he is really enjoying his food, chewing with his mouth open must enhance the flavor!

And I love my sister, but those wet chewing sounds and the almost dubbed-in sounding "glug glug glugs" as she drinks her 2-3 liters of water a day are driving me nuts.

I just keep telling myself how much I love them.

Maybe I'll just sing.

:lol2:

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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."

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: ROFLMOBO! I'm glad I just had boys!;)

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Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

I went in to a hospital cafeteria one day and ordered a sandwich,the whole time the woman was making it she was blowing bubbles with her gum,very upset with me whin I refused the sandwich and told her to make me on without spit all over it.

The thing that really drives me nuts is my Mom and daughter sucking their teeth after they eat.Just go brush them if something is stuck if not....... STOP!!!!!

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

My sis smacks, slurps, sucks teeth, etc. while eating. Drives me crazy, smack, smack , smack on a hamburger, slurp, slurp, slurp with soup. I can't eat with her anymore. She just says "I can't help it", maybe not but I can't stand it, we go to the movies instead of out to eat! The she smacks her popcorn, urgggggg! Doesn't seem to bother anyone but me, maybe it is just me.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

True confession. I just had some coffee at work and was chewing gum. A coworker said to me "I hope that gum is good because you're chewing to death". It was a crazy day and I was taking out my frustrations and stress on the gum and didn't realize I was being loud. Thanks to a friendly coworker I'm now aware and won't chew gum in patient areas.

My manager if fairly strict with making us comply with the dress code. No artificial nails, iPods, etc.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I have to echo that whistling makes me crazy. I can't stand it; probably because I can't do it at all. The theme from andy griffith makes me downright homicidal.

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I have a really good one to tell as well.....I had to call and get an appointment for my child at an eye specialist ...well the secretary or whomever she was who answers the phone & schedules appointments, actually was yawing in the phone because I could hear her very loudly and it was the type where she made a loud yawn (aaahhhhh) and didn't cover her mouth either (nor said excuse me) this happened about three times during my call..... I was absolutely taken aback at the lack of class & professionalism......and I think she was eating or something too now that I think of it because I could hear chewing...maybe she was chewing gum too...who knows.........it astounds me at the lack of class people have that deal with the public nowadays.....:uhoh3:

Another thing that irritates me is people who smack their mouths while chewing their food with their mouths wide open.....my other half does this & I literally have to get up & leave the room because it nauseates me horribly.....and I will say"wow, you chew loud!" in a joking manner but he doesn't get it :uhoh21: ...he honestly doesn't get it!!! It makes me crazy!!! lol!:trout: I give him "the look" & he just stops dead chewing & says "what" with the deer in the headlights look......then continues right back loudly smacking his mouth while eating.......... arrrrrgggghhhh!!!!!!!

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