Wearing Cologne to work Yes Or No

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Hi i need an opinion, Tell me what you all think. I like to smell good when I'm at work so i wear cologne. Not a lot just a splash i always have. The good stuff Armani, Polo, CK, well you get the picture. Lately my Coworkers mostly female are looking at me different. Saying things like they know when i'm in the building and its going to be a good day or something to that fact. One Coworker asked me to pick up some Curve So as a joke i did i really dont like the sent of it. I never had this problem before. Now i know in nursing school they say not to but i do because it's just who i'am. Should i stop wearing it or just keep on doing what i'm doing and hope this thing about me wearing cologne dies down. You all tell me. TY

Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I had to go to the ER one time becuase of a family members perfume. I was wheezing. I could smell her wherever she went. I couldn't go into the room to care for the pts in there because of the perfume. It literally made me and others sick. We ended up asking her to leave becuase she was causing the staff to become ill, and could do the same to the other patients.

White Diamonds gives my mom a instant migrane. Her boss at the hair salon she works at used to spray any Liz Taylor fragrence and it would have the same effect. Well the boss finally got the hint after my mom would have to go throw up in the bathroom, and lay down in the back room on the floor to help relieve the headache enough so she could go home.

Perfume/cologne isn't something that is necessary to go to work. However our policy is light scent. According to who? I don't agree becuase what is light to me is not the same for others.

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NO COLOGNE. body spray, maybe...lighter scent. Sick patients are sensitive to odors. Just use soap and water for work. :)

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.

One time I had a COPD pt tell me that while I was a great nurse, she needed someone else to take care of her. Couldn't handle my "smell". I for the life of me couldn't figure out what she was talking about because I don't wear scents. Turns out the smell of my hairspray was making her SOB. This was after about 6 hours of being at work. Broke my heart that I caused her more harm.

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

Have chemo just once and see how ANY cologne/perfume/body spray makes you feel :(

Please, please, please...if you have any consideration for your patients don't wear it at work!!

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Specializes in Gerontology.

I don't care how "expensive" your scent is - it can still cause people to be ill. There is one nurse I work with who wears perfume dispite our "no scents" policy because she states " I only wear a little and its expensive" but to me, it smells like mosquito repellent. If I were a pt already feeling unwell, this nurse would make me really sick.

Wear your pefume off - duty.

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Specializes in Corrections.

Well at my job we are not allowed to wear perfume/cologne because it arouses the inmates and makes them act even more sexually inappropriate. They get aroused by any scent on a woman as far as I am concerned even the scent of the fabric softener on your clothes. But if I worked in any other setting I would not wear perfume because it is irritating to the patients. Usually the light scent of your soap and deodorant is enough to make you smell nice. Maybe try a lightly scented body lotion if you must wear a scent... something natural like cocoa butter, olive, or shea butter.

SOS

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People wearing the scent have NO idea how they smell. "Just a little bit" doesn't mean anything because the wearer gets used to the smell and can't judge it appropriately. Of course, those around you can.

We've all walked into a "cloud" of scent . . . and there is no one there. They just left the room but the scent trail they leave behind is strong.

No perfume/cologne/body spray at work. We've even stopped using scented creams - one nurse has severe asthma reactions to it.

steph

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Scent is a big no-no where i work. Just make sure you are clean and that's all you need.

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

I'm with most everyone else. No cologne, body lotion while at work. I had a unit secretary who was so sensitive to odors, that my FABRIC softener would get her wheezing! I was told I had to change my fabric softener!!

COPDers can be sensitive, asthmatics, and just plain people with nausea.

So, it's a good practice to soap and water clean, I were odor free deodorant too!

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Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, Tele.

I cannot stand when my co workers go out to smoke and they come back smelling like and ash tray and then try covering it up with a fruity mist. It is honestly disgusting. I would complain if I was a pt!

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

I''m sorry that the smell of your smoking co-workers angers you.

Blessings

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Again, I am an old school nurse, and I was told in nursing school NO PERFUMES because it can make people and residents/patients nauseated. I don't see any reason not to wear perfumes as long as you don't over do it. Someone told me one time that if you can smell it on yourself, you have put too much on??? We all like to smell good :)

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