wearing perfume to work

Nurses General Nursing

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thought this would be interesting. what's your policy? i wear a light body splash if any.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Well, I guess I may have a bit of attitude. I haven't ONCE had ANYONE complain to me or through anyone else about perfume choice.

They are too busy avoiding you....or keeling over from the smell.

It is kind of like reeking BO, bad breath or misbehaving children. No one tells their coworker about it out of politeness...they merely avoid them like the plague.

Unfortunately, patients and coworkers do not have that option.

And really, what would the offending person do...wash it off...the smell would still linger on the clothes. So to tell the coworker would merely tick them off, insult their taste and yet not solve the immediate problem.

Like the gentlemen that insisted on chatting me up and kept moving closer in line at Best Buy. If my turning my back, ignoring his conversation, hacking my head off, and moving as far away as possible didn't give him a clue, telling him would hardly do much good. And no, there was only one line that I could go to for my laptop.

I would rather smell the sweat of a hard working person, rather than a chemical bath any day.

It is like artificial nails, excess jewelry on nurses. Perfume is unnecessary, potentially harmful and inappropriate in nursing.

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I am allergic to STINKING and FILTHY patients.

I wheeze when I get near them. The dust mites and lice leap onto my skin and BITE me. They make me hyperventilate.

When they all start bathing ONCE a week, I'll quit wearing perfume to work.

They can take away my perfume bottle when they pry it from my cold, dead hand.

:p :angryfire

This everyones allergic to everyone is getting out of hand!

As a professional, you have an obligation to make better choices than a patient who, if filthy, might be suffering from a mental disorder. I wonder how helpful you are considered to be when you have such a defensive attitude. I don't have any type of allergies to scents and I love wearing expensive perfume, but there is a time and place for it. Knowing that there is even a tiny risk that a patient might have a reaction (or simply become nauseated) to your scent should be enough for a caring professional to abstain from using scented products in the work place. Unless of course your wants over ride the needs of your patients.

chances are, your co-workers and patients are being kind when they don't pull you aside if your scent offends. Most people don't want to hurt anyones feelings. To say (in a later post) that you haven't had any reactions or complaints is to ignore the possibility that your patients and co-workers are exhibiting more decency towards you than you are towards them. I have been in a situation before where the nurse was really bothering me (not scent related) and I opted to remain silent because there was a bit of fear involved. If I piss off the person in charge of taking care of me...will they do a good job of caring for me? You might consider yourself to be open and honest, to the point where you would have no qualms about asserting yourself in any given situation, but I assure you that most people will politely smile and not say a word. Doesn't make them any less of a person, just means that not everyone is willing to risk a confrontation.

Adri

Nursing Student

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As a professional, you have an obligation to make better choices than a patient who, if filthy, might be suffering from a mental disorder. I wonder how helpful you are considered to be when you have such a defensive attitude. I don't have any type of allergies to scents and I love wearing expensive perfume, but there is a time and place for it. Knowing that there is even a tiny risk that a patient might have a reaction (or simply become nauseated) to your scent should be enough for a caring professional to abstain from using scented products in the work place. Unless of course your wants over ride the needs of your patients.

chances are, your co-workers and patients are being kind when they don't pull you aside if your scent offends. Most people don't want to hurt anyones feelings. To say (in a later post) that you haven't had any reactions or complaints is to ignore the possibility that your patients and co-workers are exhibiting more decency towards you than you are towards them. I have been in a situation before where the nurse was really bothering me (not scent related) and I opted to remain silent because there was a bit of fear involved. If I piss off the person in charge of taking care of me...will they do a good job of caring for me? You might consider yourself to be open and honest, to the point where you would have no qualms about asserting yourself in any given situation, but I assure you that most people will politely smile and not say a word. Doesn't make them any less of a person, just means that not everyone is willing to risk a confrontation.

Adri

Nursing Student

Adri, that is a very nice, and professional response.

I just don't see why it is such a big deal to be wearing perfume at work- the stuff is expensive, save it for something more special than another evening at work!

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Specializes in ER, NICU.
....As a professional, you have an obligation to make better choices than a patient who, if filthy, might be suffering from a mental disorder...

Adri

Nursing Student

No, usually they are suffering from ETOH or just plain smelly. Well, I guess you could call stinking and filthy a mental disorder?

:uhoh3:

I think this whole discussion could be resolved if EVERYONE were more tolerant of others.

What IF, now what IF mouth wash were to cause allergies in patients?

Does this mean we nurses should also avoid mouthwash? Maybe we should just NOT drink coffee or use breath mints, etc....so we don't have a 1 in a million chance of causing some 1 in a MILLION sensitivity to be triggered!

:crying2:

Oh, yes, I FORGOT - we also don't want to offend anyone by calling them obese these days either.

I guess jumping through hoops to please 100% of the people 100% of the time should be placed in a nursing job description somewhere. :)

Maybe I am just being TOO sensitive here.

:p

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Specializes in ER, NICU.

AN APOLOGY:

I just re-read alot of my posts. Yes, I am angry.

Please forgive. Am going through hell at home and it sure shows.

I wish this were a "my marriage/life sucks right now" forum.

Is there one of these on here?????:crying2: :crying2: :crying2:

Anyway - am so sorry if I have hurt anyone's feelings here.

Sorry for the allergy sensitive. I have two sons with same problem, so I am not some insensitive clod.

Again...so sorry am being an a$$

J:imbar

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I think that is very big of you, jerico. Thank you.

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No one needs to wear perfume to work. It just puts others at risk of harm or discomfort. Lots of it is truly offensive. Wear it for you husband or boyfriend or because you like it outside of work and in a well-ventilated area. When I was in the hospital for an asthma attack, a respiratory therapist wearing oodles of some strong scent came to give me a tx and made me feel worse.:o

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

It happened to me again yesterday. A patient claimed she went into an asthma attack from the "loud perfume" of my tech and refused to let her in the room. Nothing a bit of ativan didn't fix.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

What IF, now what IF mouth wash were to cause allergies in patients?

Does this mean we nurses should also avoid mouthwash? Maybe we should just NOT drink coffee or use breath mints, etc....so we don't have a 1 in a million chance of causing some 1 in a MILLION sensitivity to be triggered!

Actually since most mouthwashes contain alcohol, they are not good for anyone to use. They are barred for use by patients on many Onco/Hemo floors for that very reason, as they actually cause more damage than anything else.

Research has demonstrated that oral care with a mild saline rinse, or saline/baking soda rinse to be safer, and quite effective.

Plus covering up bad breath with mint usually just gives one the minty bad smell aroma...not much of an improvement.

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Let me hit you with a sledge hammer and then we can talk about sensitivity! cause that's what my head feels like after some self-absorbed 'flowerpot' wafts/walks by. :angryfire Pure and simple, perfume (amongst other obnoxious odors) causes difficulty to some people.

Uhm, I was being sarcastic. If you read my other posts, you'd know that I don't feel that way at all.

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It happened to me again yesterday. A patient claimed she went into an asthma attack from the "loud perfume" of my tech and refused to let her in the room. Nothing a bit of ativan didn't fix.

So the pt. was medicted because she complained about someone's perfume? Please tell me I am misreading this!

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
So the pt. was medicted because she complained about someone's perfume? Please tell me I am misreading this!

The patient went into an asthma attack ;)

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