showering: before or after work

Nurses General Nursing

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this might be a weird topic but I am curious. when do you all shower when you're working? and if you shower before work, do you shower again when you get off, then again before you go to work?

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I shower just before bed. Part of my nighttime routine and it helps me relax enough to go to sleep.

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Specializes in ICU.
Americans are obsessed with hygiene. I shower before, then take a blessed break on my days off, when I bathe every other day. This saves my akin from the ravages of over bathing.

I don't see anything wrong with that. Im one of the weird people who brush my teeth after lunch. I just like feeling clean.

That being said, I shower before work. I take a bath after. A long bubble, whirlpool bath. I highlight my hair and try to keep the color. So, I don't wash my hair everyday, but my body is bathed everyday. Some personal areas need to be cleaned daily!! lol

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Specializes in ICU.

I do leave my shoes outside and I change as soon as I get home. Nobody is allowed to hug or kiss me until I'm changed out of my scrubs.

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Specializes in ICU, trauma.

my boyfriend and i are both nurses. He doesn't let me crawl into bed unless i shower....:sniff: (sometimes im just too tired to shower lol)

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Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.

When I worked nights, I usually showered before my shift. It woke me up and got me nice and energized. I would shower after my shift if I felt particularly grimy (C.Diff patient, yucky trach, lots of time sweating in an isolation gown) or if I needed to stay awake afterwards for some reason. Once I went to days I usually showered afterwards because I wasn't AS exhausted. Or, I wouldn't shower at all if I was too tired. I never wore my work shoes inside of the house and always changed out of my scrubs as soon as I got home. Sometimes I would undress in the garage if I felt really gross!

I agree, to some point, that we are a very hygiene focused culture here in the US. We like to be clean for sure! I wonder how much of that is necessary and how much is societal influence. I have no qualms about skipping a shower as long as I'm not stinky or feeling gross. I know this goes against pretty much everything we are taught but it's something I'm comfortable with and I've never gotten any complaints :)

I also only wash my hair once or twice a week. It's thick, curly and dry and washing it daily would just dry it out more.

I read an article about this movement in the US where people gave up full showers altogether. The instead would "spot clean" or only wash their "hot spots" like armpits, feet and groin. I enjoy the feeling of a nice shower so I probably won't be jumping on that trend anytime soon.

One place where I will NOT compromise is dental hygiene. I brush at least twice a day, floss religiously and carry a tooth brush in my purse in case my mouth feels icky during the day. I am mildly obsessed but that's okay; my mother always tells me "If you ignore your teeth, they will go away! Be true to your teeth or they will be false to you!"

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I'm very oily, so if I'm going to leave home I don't have the option of not showering (or at a bare minimum, washing my hair) in the morning. I would shower after a shift on occasion if I had contact with something particularly gross that day, or take a hot bath to help unwind for bed.

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Specializes in Critical care.

I shower when I wake up. My hair is a mess after sleeping and the shower helps me feel more alert. I shower after work as well if I feel really gross. I have to slather lotion on everyday since my skin is very dry and sensitive, so I can't imagine what 2 daily showers would do. On my days off, especially with multiple in a row, I don't necessarily shower everyday if I don't get sweaty. I always wear a t-shirt under my scrub top, so if I go out anywhere after work (run to the store, grab a bite to eat, etc.) that scrub top ALWAYS comes off. My shoes are for work only and those sit just inside the laundry room (right when you walk in) in a plastic container. I change clothes as soon as I get home. I don't have kids, but I could imagine my habits changing some once I do.

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I shower before and after, and have experienced no "ravages" from over bathing. On my days off, I shower once, unless I've been outside in the heat or have gotten sweaty for some reason.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Before and after. I don't want to face the world dirty ... and I certainly don't want to spread bugs around my home.

When my skin gets dry ... there are products for that.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

When I worked at the hospital I would shower as soon as I came in at night, but wouldn't take another one the next morning before work.

Now that I am a school nurse I don't get particularly nasty, so I don't shower when I get home. But I do change out of my scrubs and shoes and scrub my hands and arms well before loving on my babies.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I must contend with frequent perspiration due to living in Texas. However, since I am hypothyroid, showering twice a day would cause my skin to dry out. It would not be good for my monthly water bill, either.

In the morning I lather up the 'hot spots' with a quick PTA wash (pits, tits & @) for some cursory hygiene, then I take a full shower or bath at night.

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I have to shower to wake up in the morning before work. That and 2 cups of coffee.

I also shower when I get home.

My skin isn't prone to being dry but I always put on lotion after each shower.

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