Nurse with Body Odor

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Happy Holidays! I have a fellow nurse who is awesome! Heplful and always willing to teach but she has a very strong body odor and it seems to be gettting worse sadly. The shift starts at 7am and at 0630 she smells. Does anyone have suggestions on how to tell her in a nice way if thats even possible?

:reindeer:

It's one thing to let someone know about this situation in a thoughtful manner and another doing so directly. Why does one have to be harsh about subject. Decorum should be used. After all, we're suppose to be professionals here.

Direct doesn't mean harsh though. They are very different concepts. Directness is a kindness, being harsh is not.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MR/DD.

Blame it on a patient. Maybe go to her and tell her that a patient who was discharged said something about it.

I would say something like this " hey so and so I overheard some patient complaining about a nurse that had a body odor, I wonder if it was me, Do I smell bad? "

Maybe this will break the ice and get her to talk about it and open an opportunity up for you to say something to her.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Blame it on a patient. Maybe go to her and tell her that a patient who was discharged said something about it.

I would say something like this " hey so and so I overheard some patient complaining about a nurse that had a body odor, I wonder if it was me, Do I smell bad? "

Maybe this will break the ice and get her to talk about it and open an opportunity up for you to say something to her.

this is sort of the route i took, but in a different setting (restaurant). it gets the point across but not in a way that you're directly accusing or embarrassing - i'm sure some will disagree, but i think it's a good route.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in endocrinology, geriatrics, dementia,.

My guess is she already knows, im not sure how youd broach it though maybe bring up a program you saw on disc health chnl where a woman had some genetic thing causing BO, maybe itll prompt her to seek help if she hasnt.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have worked with a lot of stinkers over the years.

I wouldn't take any action about this issue. I might keep a bit more distance between the odor source and myself.

During the work day, I spend time in patient homes. Most have some odors. Some of the odors are unpleasant: fried, rancid bacon grease, fish, body odor, urine, feces, booze breath, cigarettes, weed, and yes..bedbug and rotting garbage odor. The inside of my car stinks, my nursing bag, purse, and coat stink and at the end of the day I can smell all of the odors on myself and they are stuck in my nose.

One body odor person is just not a big deal.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I have worked with a lot of stinkers over the years.

I wouldn't take any action about this issue. I might keep a bit more distance between the odor source and myself.

During the work day, I spend time in patient homes. Most have some odors. Some of the odors are unpleasant: fried, rancid bacon grease, fish, body odor, urine, feces, booze breath, cigarettes, weed, and yes..bedbug and rotting garbage odor. The inside of my car stinks, my nursing bag, purse, and coat stink and at the end of the day I can smell all of the odors on myself and they are stuck in my nose.

One body odor person is just not a big deal.

i understand your point. however, if it's a co-worker and the "source" is their body, AND more importantly if you're any kind of friend to them - you'd want them to know. in reality, they're probably aware of it, but probably think other people don't notice. i guess for me it would depend on how long the relationship has/will last and my feelings about the person whether or not i'd let them know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.
Ask your HR manager to talk to her.

Please be kidding.

Many others posted good replies though. The one about a patient being discharged complaining about a stinker was my personal favorite.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Jeez! I thought nurses were the health care professionals with communication skills.

Just tell them. Don't create a scenario, don't drop hints, don't tell them a story about someone else, don't tap dance all around the issue. Just tell them. The bigger deal you make of it, the bigger deal it will be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Jeez! I thought nurses were the health care professionals with communication skills.

Just tell them. Don't create a scenario, don't drop hints, don't tell them a story about someone else, don't tap dance all around the issue. Just tell them. The bigger deal you make of it, the bigger deal it will be.

i don't know. put yourself in the shoes of the "stinker."

how awkward would it be every time you saw the person that told you that you smelled bad?

from my experience of dropping a hint (which i posted) it ended up being an effective route and the "stinker" confided in me later that she was grateful for it and never suspected i thought she had BO issues. it has to be much easier to continue working with a person you think doesn't consider you to stink.

btw - when she confided in me later - i told her that i did know it was BO and i didn't want to hurt her feelings. she was sincerely grateful and by this time we were good friends so it was an easy conversation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
i don't know. put yourself in the shoes of the "stinker."

how awkward would it be every time you saw the person that told you that you smelled bad?

from my experience of dropping a hint (which i posted) it ended up being an effective route and the "stinker" confided in me later that she was grateful for it and never suspected i thought she had BO issues. it has to be much easier to continue working with a person you think doesn't consider you to stink.

btw - when she confided in me later - i told her that i did know it was BO and i didn't want to hurt her feelings. she was sincerely grateful and by this time we were good friends so it was an easy conversation.

I am putting myself in the other person's position. It would be far more awkward to think that my coworker was lying to me. If a coworker, privately, and in a matter of fact way let me know that BO was an issue I'd know that person tells me the truth....I'd take that over a lie any day.

We're not talking about an opinion here, it's not a judgement call where the OP's opinion is in question. The co-worker does or does not have a BO problem....I wouldn't be worried that a co-worker thought I reeked of BO. I'd be worried that I DID reek of BO. I also want to know if I have spinach in my teeth, or toilet paper stuck to my shoe.

Truth is the kindest path.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

Could nobody just say "heyy so-and-so, i think you forgot to wear deoderant this morning". In a polite and kind of joking way... not to be mean but to be like it was such a crazy early morning that she simply forgot.

I would be SO embarassed if i recieved a note from someone...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am putting myself in the other person's position. It would be far more awkward to think that my coworker was lying to me. If a coworker, privately, and in a matter of fact way let me know that BO was an issue I'd know that person tells me the truth....I'd take that over a lie any day.

We're not talking about an opinion here, it's not a judgement call where the OP's opinion is in question. The co-worker does or does not have a BO problem....I wouldn't be worried that a co-worker thought I reeked of BO. I'd be worried that I DID reek of BO. I also want to know if I have spinach in my teeth, or toilet paper stuck to my shoe.

Truth is the kindest path.

have you ever had to tell a co-worker they smell bad?

it's always easier to say what you should do when you haven't had to do it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment