We had a "client" on our floor that was morbidly obese. We cleaned them, but no matter what, the smell lingered. When we moved them, it stirred it up. The hallway...well, entire floor was smelling. Ok, so I am going into other clients' rooms, and they are wanting to know what that smell is. It was literally stuck to us...like a cloud around us. How do you get rid of that no matter how often you wash hands, use spray, clean the client, etc...? It would be worse too because the client could not get up to use the restroom, barely turn for bedpan, and incontinent as times, so that would get stirred up as well. We even wore PPE as well....gown and gloves...they were on precautions, so it was not just for the smell. I felt the other clients on the floor were upset dealing with the smell, but the client producing it (along with it stuck on us) could not help it.
Anybody else ever had a smell just stuck on them? We were asked from other people on the floor (other clients, visitors, transporters) "What is that smell?"...We had turned the client as much as possible, moved them around a good bit for a good bath, changed sheets, cleaned them up after incontinence, etc..., so it was on us good, and it was lingering around the room and hall.
Keep a can of shaving cream in the patient's bathroom. After you have washed and dried your hands, put a small amount of shaving cream on your hands, rub it around, and then rinse it off. The smell of the shaving cream (not a typically unpleasant smell) will cover the smell of yeast, poo, BO, etc that seems to cling no matter what you do.
Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Neuro, Ortho, Med/Surg.
Not having anything to do with yeast infections, but one day of the aides on my floor kept walking around saying, "What the heck? I keep smelling poop." She couldn't get the smell out of her nose. Then she happened to look down. There was a piece of poop stuck to the toe on the top of her shoe...ewww! It was pretty funny though.
Too funny! So, it was stuck on her as well! Yeah, we had the smell of this in our noses as well, but in the end, it is worth it to take care of them, keep them clean, and all...
My assistant manager wrote me a note saying I was 'unprofessional' after a very smelly patient came into the er and at the triage desk stunk up the whole area and all the families in the area were holding their noses and i asked for some spray to lessen the smell. I was just spraying the area and she said 'this isnt appropriate in front of families' they were holding thier noses. I love management....
You've gotten some greate suggestions for treating the topical issues of yeast infections, but have you also considered it might be systemic? I'd also address the patient's diet getting off the yeast for a while and discuss with the Doc about an Rx for Diflucan to help short term and if the patient is female an Rx for lady partsl treatment. Many obese people tend to have a yeast filled diet so it might be necessary for some serious patient education.
Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Neuro, Ortho, Med/Surg.
You've gotten some greate suggestions for treating the topical issues of yeast infections, but have you also considered it might be systemic? I'd also address the patient's diet getting off the yeast for a while and discuss with the Doc about an Rx for Diflucan to help short term and if the patient is female an Rx for lady partsl treatment. Many obese people tend to have a yeast filled diet so it might be necessary for some serious patient education.
I agree...great responses. I did get the smell off me when I got home, and immediately washed my scrubs and all.
They had other health issues going on that I did not want to get way into...but was on 2 antibiotics for infections. No systemic yeast infection though, and the patient was not on Diflucan....the blood cultures showed no yeast in blood....bacteria only. Also, they had UTI...Foley was placed in ED, so no urinary incontinence going on at the time. When it was emptied, it did have a mild foul odor, even with my mask on, but it was not as overpowering as stool incontinence and yeast smell. Also, no C-Diff....
And, they definitely needed patient education....Nutrition consult/"screen" ordered.
You've gotten some greate suggestions for treating the topical issues of yeast infections, but have you also considered it might be systemic? I'd also address the patient's diet getting off the yeast for a while and discuss with the Doc about an Rx for Diflucan to help short term and if the patient is female an Rx for lady partsl treatment. Many obese people tend to have a yeast filled diet so it might be necessary for some serious patient education.
This. And if the pt's general diet is full of sugar, it's going to be a lot harder to control yeast, locally or systemically.
Specializes in Telemetry, IMCU, s/p Open Heart surgery.
we sometimes take a coffee filter and empty a coffee packet in it. we'll place this on the window sill or anywhere that is out of the way in the patient's room. it helps absorb the yucky smell.
BluegrassRN
1,188 Posts
Keep a can of shaving cream in the patient's bathroom. After you have washed and dried your hands, put a small amount of shaving cream on your hands, rub it around, and then rinse it off. The smell of the shaving cream (not a typically unpleasant smell) will cover the smell of yeast, poo, BO, etc that seems to cling no matter what you do.