The "hospital smell"

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, Med-Surg.

This may be a dumb question, but bear with me as I am a newbie nurse...

I work in the ED, and every day I work, the odor hits me as soon as I swing open the door. Handling the smells is not the issue, but I'm wondering: Those c-diff smells, GI bleed smells, etc...since I feel like they linger on me, do they really linger??? As in, can other people smell it on me??? :eek:

I shower immediately when I get home, but was wondering if other people can smell it when I'm taking a pt onto the floor, stopping for a soda on the way home, etc...

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Specializes in Cardiovascular, ER.

If it does, ppl have been polite enough to never mention it to me ;)

My husband says I always smell like the ion air filters when I get home...... better than the alternative I suppose.

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I hope not, as I work at a LTC/SNF and the smells on the LT units there... well lets just say I would prefer the smells of the ER any day :)

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Specializes in MDS/Office.

I work in LTC & my husband & kids always tell me I smell like a nursing home...even though I don't smell a thing. :p

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

Smells have really gotten to me as I've gotten older. The smell of faeces really makes me gets to me now - I did some nursing home work not long ago, and I forgot how rank it was - when I walked into the facility, I nearly gagged and had to keep going to the loo to get some fresh air.

I NEVER go anywhere after work until I've had a very hot shower. I launder my work clothes right away and always had a little disinfectant to the water. Yes, people have told me they can smell that horrid clinging faecal/disinfectant whatever smell so I shower right away now (I think maybe the hubbys were being kind!)

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Orthopaedics,.

My kids always say I smell like disposable gloves! Yes, I do wash my hands!:nurse:

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

My husband tells me that there is a hospital smell when I come home. I never have noticed it. I never noticed a "hospital smell" ever. Now there is deffinately a "nursing home" smell that I noticed as soon as I walked in one.

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

I have never noticed a hospital smell. Thank god for those super filtering systems we have in our hospital.=) Nursing homes however stink! I always think it smells like elephants. I could not work at a SNF because of that.

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Smells like elephants? LOL that's so funny! I don't know what elephants smell like but I can't imagine it's pleasant.

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My fiance always says I smell like "hospital" when I get home. :(

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Specializes in Psych.

My hubby always tells me I smell like Latex :D I guess that's better than some of the alternatives lol.

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That is because you do smell of hospital dear

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