Researching smells

[Tookie]

My position at work is to coordinate education - l have been asked to help with a project

I have posted this in other areas - l am hoping to try and find some information on the following and would appreciate your input.

Where l currently work we have a system of reducing the associated smells of urine and feaces that can be common in aged care settings and nursing homes.

We would like to research and evaulate other systems that people use to reduce any smells

I was wondering if any of you in this forum have any site you can recommend to read about methods of reducing the smells associated with this problem.

Thanking you in advance

Sandra

[sjoe]

One word: "Flush."

But a combination of:

1) a very large exhaust fan system running 24/7

2) wall dispensers of commercial air freshener/deodorant/scent that were on individual timers (set for times of most need--bed/diaper changing at the end of shifts, etc.) as well as PRN manual buttons

3) wheeled and covered trash and soiled linen containers that remaind in the hallway ONLY during use and always kept covered

all helped markedly in a LTC facility in Oregon.

Good luck.

[Tookie]

Thank you sjoe

we do have systems in place that work quite well and want to present what we do perhaps as a paper - l am trying to find out with this question what are the most common practices - so thank you for your contribution

Tookie

[CaliNurse]

We don't seem to have that problem. If someone if incontinent we do peri-care right away. I don't remember our products names for peri-care as I am emailing from home but one of our products is a 3 pack of wipes that has a skin cleaner, deordorizer, skin moisture barrier, the wipe ( replaces the washcloth ), and it is kept in a warming device until we use them.

Before this product we had a spray cleanser that upon spraying the incontinence urine/fecal it neutralized the odor. We it was time to switch I worried about the odor because we had nothing to spray on the urine/feces. You may want to see what product you are using and browse the other products available.

Good luck,

Calinurse

[barb4575]

Cannot tell you any specific research, but I had been a troubleshooter for improving LTC facilties ... five of them all being pressured by the State. This is why my facilities did not smell of urine or feces....I made regular rounds on all shifts, provided inservices regarding pericare, bathing, soiled linen disposal, infection and policies. When I would check the residents and they were clean, dry and odorfree...I treated those CNA's to lunch at the local Sonic which they loved. I never allowed briefs while a resident is in bed. I also spent a great deal of time with developing leadership skills in the nurses and management...they were made accountable-they called it babysitting, but nonetheless it worked.

It is much better to resolve the source of odor than to cover it up. There are some good products out there for pericare, but the residents have to be bathed on their regular shower days and low staffing cannot be an excuse to not get it done.

Good luck,

Barbara

[KLQ727]

Barbara,

REFRESHING is all I can say!!!

If we do it right in the first place, we don't have to spend hours and $$$$$$$ trying to cover it up. (novel idea, huh??)

That goes for anything we do as nurses. I am sooooooo frustrated with management that allows excuses to prevail, and "oh well, there's a shortage of nurses so we have to try to keep everyone happy so they'll stay".... BULL.... set some standards, and live by them and everyone's job will run smoother and easier in the long run and they'll be happy.

Treat your patients the way you would want someone to treat your own mother. Nursing 101

Thank you for having the strenghth to stand up and make people do their jobs right! I know it isn't any easy road to hoe for you, and a thankless job. But be proud of your accomplishments!