Why not wear a mask to 'mask' some of the smells that go along with nursing?

[Cathylady]

i'm not a nurse so forgive me if i'm out of line. my daughter is in a bsn program and i feel sorry for her and that's why i'm asking this question.

my dentist, from the time he steps foot in the examining room he has a mask on. i don't even know what he looks like after going to him for 6 years! when he talks to me after my exam he continues to wear the mask.

here is my question. why can't nurses wear masks when dealing with a situation that is going to have a horrible order? i can't imagine that it would be offensive to the patient; i'm not offended when my dentist wears his mask.

why not?

[EmergencyNrse]

I wear a mask all the time. Oh, and don't forget the peppermint oil!

Not everything smells like roses...

Emergency Medicine! Nothing like it anywhere...

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

But, why isn't it standard procedure or at least an optional procedure to wear a mask when dealing with something that's really obnoxiously smelly?

A mask really isn't going to help with a strong odor..I know, I work in the OR and we get all of it..feces, GI bleeds, gangrene etc. The masks we wear do nothing to help with the smells. Plus, once you've been doing this awhile..you get somewhat used to it anyway. I have also seen Vicks used or peppermint oil.

So, really, there is no need to wear a mask in the scenario you decribe, because it won't do anything except make the patient feel badly.

[shiccy]

Sure it's been said, but masks don't eliminate or even decrease odors - they simply don't allow fluids to splash in your face. We do wear masks for when the incidence is high or for procedures that have a high incidence of infection (central line changes, etc), but for the most part it's more of a hindrance ... and it makes patients feel like they're diseased (which they are sometimes, but many or most times it's not something that a healthy person is able to catch)

Even the extremely expensive respirators with expensive filters that are military grade don't remove odors ... they just remove toxins and particles up to the size the filter is slated to remove.

The only way to 'get rid' of odors is with wintergreen oil and/or vicks under the nose. You alternatively can put a drop or so in a mask and wear THAT if you wanted, but again there's rarely an odor that is pervasive or exceptionally offensive that it would warrant this.

[Scrubby]

Hmmm my attitude is if it helps the nurse with dealing with odours then go for it.

For those who say it makes the patient feel embarrassed I disagree here. Wearing a mask can disguise facial expressions. A particularly smelly patient may notice up if people are grimacing. Not all nurses can deal with bad smells that well. Also someone say with gangrene probably has more to worry about than people noticing that they stink like losing limbs and dying.

[DoGoodThenGo]

When one worked as a NA, (back in the 1980's), the first thing I did upon start of a shift was to load up my pockets with latex gloves. Every now and then an "old school" nurse and a few of the younger ones as well would say that I should wear gloves while cleaning up a patient, even if it was a very explosive BM (we're talking from neck to back of knees, how do they do it?).

Their rationale was that wearing gloves somehow implied patients and or their waste was "dirty" and could offend them. Yeah right!

As for hospital "smells" one gets used to them and soon enough you honestly don't pay them any mind.

[snoopy29]

The only time we routinely use masks is when treating patients with suspected swine flu and I hate wearing them. Patients are frightened and embarassed by the masks.

So much of how we reassure patients comes from non-verbal clues and they need to see our faces. Every nurse I know has their own way of dealing with unpleasant smells, some mouth breath, others use vicks but as has been previously said over time you get used to it and above all else we remember that it is not only us that can smell the smell the patient can too and it is down to us to deal with that with compassion and understanding. :)

[nursel56]

QUOTE=DoGoodThenGo;4092401]When one worked as a NA, (back in the 1980's), the first thing I did upon start of a shift was to load up my pockets with latex gloves. Every now and then an "old school" nurse and a few of the younger ones as well would say that I should wear gloves while cleaning up a patient, even if it was a very explosive BM (we're talking from neck to back of knees, how do they do it?).

Their rationale was that wearing gloves somehow implied patients and or their waste was "dirty" and could offend them. Yeah right!

As for hospital "smells" one gets used to them and soon enough you honestly don't pay them any mind.

Wow, that is really oldy-old school! Haven't heard that rationale since circa 1985. :) The "gloves offend the patient". The patient's dignity is adversely affected by both gloves and "diapers". It turns out the patient's dignity didn't fare too well when a certain really bad retrovirus arrived on the scene, and hospitals could trim time and cost by using those big ol' Depends, instead of Chux. Perhaps they reasoned that a Chux was really a flat diaper, so why not?

Back to the mask issue- OP- patients are very sensitive about their body image in the hospital. They apologize for pooping!! People in isolation are generally depressed. I'm sorry, but the thought of your daughter being around "obnoxious smells" in no way trumps allowing patients to retain as much of their dignity as they possibly can under the circumstances.

[Cathylady]

Okay, you all have more than answered my question. Thanks.

[mmh2]

But, why isn't it standard procedure or at least an optional procedure to wear a mask when dealing with something that's really obnoxiously smelly?

I am currently working as a dental assistants and unfortunately, wearing a mask does not mask smells! We wear fluid resistant masks to protect us against the fluids (saliva,blood,pus) that become airborne during dental procedures. We wear safety glasses for the same reason. That, and to protect our peepers from projectiles. You would never believe the amount of "spray" that accompanies dental procedures. At least with my doc who likes to crank up the water on the handpiece. But....I can still smell everything. So, I breath through my mouth if it's a pretty bad smell, but I have heard that as a nurse, that comes with certain risks! lol Good luck to your daughter!

P.S. On an unrelated note, I can relate to the horror of a warm, crusty set of dentures. It made me laugh when I realized how many of you guys find them to be your ultimate gross out!! Mine's vomit. blech!

[meluhn]

But, why isn't it standard procedure or at least an optional procedure to wear a mask when dealing with something that's really obnoxiously smelly?

Because nurses are not especially bothered by that sort of thing. You are talking to people who can do wound care on a wound as deep as a grapefruit and then go eat lunch. If we were that squeamish we would not be nurses.

[sharpeimom]

p.s. on an unrelated note, i can relate to the horror of a warm, crusty set of dentures. it made me laugh when i realized how many of you guys find them to be your ultimate gross out!! mine's vomit. blech!

as a card carrying member of the "dentures are disgusting" club, your post both made me laugh and shudder. warm crusty dentures ... bleecccchhhh! .... :rotfl: ....and finally

i used to clean them as a student nurse by holding them in about 3 layers of paper towels.

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

[cheska_rn, ASN, RN]

As a patient, I actually prefer when the nurse/doctor wears a mask, because I am less uncomfortable and less self-conscious, because I am assuming at least the mask is helping to 'mask' any smells, even if it's just a little bit.

Okay, so before you all start thinking I smell (which I don't), you know we are all a little self-conscious when we go to the gyno, so there! LOL!