WHATS THAT SMELL???

[lumbarpain]

I have often wondered about odors that are super strong, just filling the air of the room of 2 patients...one with diarrhea and the other without...and the staff that go in and out of these rooms inhaling these partially probably ignitable fumes from the bowels or urinary tract or even lungs from a patient.....my question is....IF YOU CAN SMELL IT...does this mean that those bacteria/germs/etc are floating in the air just like viruses? I tell my aides to wear double masks as well as for myself....I don't like anyone breathing in this foul stench ...you just don't know about certain things...if you can smell certain pollutions in the air, exhausts, chemicals, whatever....they can eventually harm you... I feel the same about C Diff, and any other odors I come across in the Nursing home.

[*LadyJane*]

I was working with another nurse on a slow night and so we were going around together. we walked into a room, to burp a colostomy bag. I had never done this.

when she let the gas out, I had to leave the room. I have smelled some awful stenches before, including being sprayed by a skunk, but this beat all. I thought I'd vomit right then and there. Can anything be done, other than avoiding certain foods? Do the bag deodorants really work?

[Jensmom7, BSN, RN]

But I am old and still remember when we were told it was humiliating to wear gloves when changing a colostomy.

This!! I was told that, by an ET nurse, right around 1980. It was all about "Don't embarrass the patient". There weren't hand sanitizer dispensers every 6 feet down the hall, Universal Precautions didn't exist, no one wore gloves when doing direct patient care, and hand washing was more of a suggestion. I'm surprised any of us survived to become COBs lol.

[AnthonyD]

As long as you don't bump into the sharps boxes, you should be fine.

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

Hey guys,

Please note that Cdiff can become airborne

Study confirms C. diff can travel through the air - www.strategiesfornursemanagers.com © 2015