wearing perfume to work

DhornRN · Nov 30, 2005

It's not a good idea to wear purfumes to work but man is it good to be able to tuck your nose inside your scrub top when you're in the middle of a code brown. It's saved me a time or two. :rotfl: :rotfl:

Danianne · Nov 30, 2005

I don't usually wear any scents but, when I do I jusy spray it in the air and then walk throught the body spray just once. I work in a LTC facility and they have a no scent policy except in the private room wing they have air fresheners and perfumes and calogns and flower you get the pivture *wheeze wheeze*

MellyOne · Nov 30, 2005

Almost every hospital I've worked at had a policy against it. One ED had a policy about making microwave popcorn in a certain microwave- as it was close to the pt care area.

Just thought this was funny-the hospital that I work at actually has vending machines, microwaves, etc. right outside the ER. Always smells like something funky around there! The popcorn smell I can sometimes deal with, but those microwavable sandwiches-ICK!

gaijingal · Dec 1, 2005

If one more person tells me they're wearing "just a bit" I'll scream. I don't care how you put it on, or whether it was eau de toilette or body spray, and neither does my migraine. I recognize that people are free to wear what they want, and I will never call someone on wearing a scent in public, but I do throw people out of my personal office for wearing scents (that's when I get the "explanations".)

And ditto on the hospitals with "no scent policies" but stinky products. There's only two brands of alcohol rub that don't give me some form of headache, and I'm not always guaranteed to be in a facility that uses those two. I sneak around doing old-fashioned hand-washing, avoiding the infection control dude.

grannynurse FNP student · Dec 1, 2005

One of the problems is people think they are being careful "just a spritz" . .. . . . .when they reek of it.
I'm curious as to the image in your head of a nurse who dresses and acts like a nurse though. :) :)
steph

Lets see, I could describe myself upon my graduation, with a tastful, white pantsuit, cap with my black ribbon, backed with lace, my school pin, white stockings and shoes, with very light eye makeup, light blush and lipstick, short, tasteful haircut, short finger nails, without polish, no earings except small stud ones, no tatoos or lip, eyebrow or nose rings but then I would surely be dating myself:rotfl: No, I like a nurse that is appropriately dressed be it in a white uniform or scrubs, as long as they are clean and pressed, short finger nails with clear polish, appropriate clean, neat hair, appropriate, light makeup, appropriate shoes, name pin with title (RN,LPN, NP, CNS) on it. As for acts, I always tried to treat all of my patients and their family with respect and dignity, telling them what I was about to do and why, giving them the opportunity to leave if they wished (as family member), I tried to answer their questions and if I could not, would tell them so and get back with an answer. I realise that this is not a standard that some ascribe to but it is what I have always ascribed to and expect from the staff taking care of me. Likewise, I give the staff the respect they expect, if they have returned it in kind. I do not suffer incompetent boors, who hurt me and act as if it is they right. Those I toss out of my room or out of my ER bay. Fortunately I have had to do that too frequently.

Grannynurse:balloons:

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 1, 2005

If one more person tells me they're wearing "just a bit" I'll scream. I don't care how you put it on, or whether it was eau de toilette or body spray, and neither does my migraine.

I agree. "Just a bit" is an opinion, one person's "just a bit" might be another person's "i marinade myself in it."

Especially to those w/ migraines.

JennRN&Mom23 · Dec 1, 2005

We aren't supposed to wear perfume to work. I do usually put on a bit of light body spray though. No one has ever noticed.

menolly_33 · Dec 1, 2005

I have lots of allergies and asthma, and it only takes "a spritz" to set me off. I don't say anything if the scent is very subtle, even though it makes my lungs hurt and burn. However, I have become rather vocal about those that insist on bathing in the stuff. If I still smell you and you are rooms away, it is way too much. If I can smell you without direct body contact - for example a hug, it is too much. Save it for your off time please.

My asthma isn't bad, and I still can go into bronchospasms from exposure to you "spritz". Think how it affects those in the hospital with sever respiratory problems. If your hospital policy is scent free, someone could have a case if they accused you of excerabating their condition. Something to think about.

hipab4hands · Dec 1, 2005

Our work unit has a "suggested" policy about wearing fragrances to work, but it is not enforced.

As someone, who is allergic to perfumes and has asthma, please, please rethink wearing fragrances to work.

There is no need to wear fragrances to work. You have 16 hrs a day outside of work to enjoy wearing scents.

MissMonica · Dec 1, 2005

I havent seen a written policy at my facility re: colognes/perfumes but I see it as an unwritten rule basically--no scented stuff. When Im a sickie I dont care for strong smells or perfume at all...but I agree with others that with some of the biological scents we are forced to deal with in the hospital I love to have a visitor pass by with nice perfume, etc. I dont worry about my own vanity at work, just wanna be professional so i save the chanel no.5 for after work!!

Birdwatcher1, RN · Dec 1, 2005

Perfume or lingering cigarette smoke odor (which for some reason the smokers don't think can be detected :confused: ) makes my sinuses go crazy....also makes me wonder how how sensitive patients can stand it -and how their nurses apparently think they can!

4ZBirds

LeahJet, ASN, RN · Dec 1, 2005

making microwave butter popcorn (nausea)

ewww....I hate the smell of microwaved butter popcorn....especially when it burns....double ew. Unlike perfume, that just invades a small area.... the microwave popcorn thing floods the whole unit.