To expect health care professionals, workers, etc. to not wear scents

[Bimbop5]

I don't understand why in this day and age that health care workers, meaning doctors, nurses, care aids, etc need to be told not to wear scents? They should know not to wear them due to asthma, sinusitis, multiple chemical sensitivity, etc, etc. And yet where I work they have to continually talk to these people and explain you cannot wear perfume or any scented products at work. It's ridiculous. People have to turn their care aids away due to them wearing scents and in turn are left trying to care for themselves when they are sick. It's nuts! It reminds me how smoking used to be allowed in hospitals and remember what the fight it was to finally ban this. I hope in my lifetime people will learn how much this hurts people with illness and allergies. I'm only 41 but man, we have so much to learn in society. People have a right to have clean air.

Well, I'm sorry for your troubles Bimpop, you do sound like you need to wear a mask, and gloves.

Fwiw I have allergies to pollen, and asthma when I'm even sitting next to someone who lives with a cat. I can't stand newspapers and come out in hives from nikel and keys and even shaking hands and opening doors that have metal in them is problematic for me.

I carry an inhaler, a blue dilator one, and I take antihistamines, and I wear a mask, scarf and gloves, because I know the world does not rotate around me.

As I said, sorry for your trouble. Sounds like you need to get some survival strategies in place for your own safety, not just give out to everyone else on the planet!
You need to find a solution, not just whinge amd moan about how mean everyone is, to poor ikkle you, and blame everyone else for your problems.
Wear a mask / scarf, visor, gloves etc. like the rest of us.

I'm sure you're not the only one to have nearly died as a child, or know someone who did indeed die from asthma. You don't hold all the pity cards ya know.

Totallypearshaped, wow you didn't read this thread properly. I started because I was upset about a patient at work having allergies. I only explained about having asthma and allergies myself because someone commented that I was wrong for speaking up for people that have asthma when I don't have asthma, so that is why I said that.
You are a real peace of work. I read your thread thinking okay she has some valid points and then you regressed to instead insult me and cast judgement that I'm sitting here saying I expect everyone to change for me. I was simply explaining the situation and policies in Canada. I'm not moaning and whinging as you call it. It's called creating awareness. I'm not the only one with these issues.

I doubt you've even read the whole thread. Did it not occur to you that I'm listening to both sides and learning as well?

And yes I would wear a mask if need be. I wouldn't go out into public places demanding people get the hell away from me while wearing scents. I would remove myself from those situations or wear a scarf or mask if need be. I'm talking about in the Healthcare system. Get a grip. I'm not making up this policy. There are signs everywhere in our hospitals.

People asked for examples I explained my own and others did the same. It's not a bloody pity party but yes I do feel sad for the patient that cannot access care due to this. And I don't mean myself in this situation. I'm talking about a patient at my job. That did upset me greatly as it could have been resolved easily if it wasn't for other people's stubbornness.

To be fair, you did post in AIBU and got irate when people disagreed completely. I understand your position but I can also see the other side of things, you cannot expect every single person to be totally scent free. No, of course healthcare workers shouldn't be drowning in perfume but equally, they might very well not notice a scented shower gel.

I'm a UK HCP. I understand that problems are rare, but have tried to avoid them. I don't wear perfume to work. Or hairspray. Or eat peanuts within 24 hrs of going to work (Friday night treat if I get a rare full weekend off). I use a very lightly scented roll on, because I've never found an unscented one that copes with the temperatures at work for the lengths of the oncalls. I don't wear makeup, or scented face creams, or scented hand creams.

And reading the hectoring tone of this thread frankly makes me want to grab my new perfume (bought for a holiday) and bloody soak myself in it. I won't, but it is seriously tempting. Patronising and haranguing people is rarely a good way to convert them.

nocoolnamesleft, fair enough. I didn't see it as patronizing or haranguing, but that's your opinion and you are entitled to it. Like I said before no one can hear my tone of voice, and this wasn't my intention. I do sincerely thank you for recognising that sometimes there are problems with scents. We need more workers like you. And I think anyone who has these difficulties would be grateful.

How would one start a discussion on This? I mean no matter what I think it would have sparked some anger and disagreement. I would have thought twice about starting this thread if I had known the UK doesn't have these policies. So see, I learned something too and can take that into consideration. It probably does sound OTT if you've never heard of it. Perhaps, it wasn't the right area on mumsnet to post it. If I had known the UK doesn't have these policies I believe I would have asked people their thoughts rather than being surprised and exasperated by the comments.

I do find everyone's viewpoints interesting and eye opening. I'm not being patronizing. If it seems that way I'm sorry but that was not my intention.

This is the interesting thing about the world. Things are different all over and I think the Internet has made it seem we are all living in the same place but really there are vast differences.

This thread made a bit of a wrong turn!

I mean ask people their thoughts on why or why not this would be a good policy. Instead I was surprised as everyone knows about it here, or a better wording is they accept it here. So I was thinking what is going on?

Having a go at me and calling me names* isn't doing your argument any good ya know.

You know you'd get a better result for your problem if you took this up with the people you work with instead of posting on a UK website, especially the robust AIBU section.

We can't do anything for any patients you know and you're beginning to sound a bit over the top arguing with people, hectoring them and calling them names.

• I believe the correct spelling of your personal attack insult is 'piece' of work (have a look at the talk guidelines to see that name calling isn't allowed- maybe you'd ask for your post to be deleted, there's a dear)

Mind yourself.

Totallypearshaped,
You had a go at me first you know and it didn't help your argument either. Lol
Thanks for the cup of coffee, how sweet of you. ;)

The market is also different here in healthcare. You are lucky to get a carer as it is quite low paid so pushing people away from the job perhaps isn't helpful.

i'm reading some of the replies on this thread with my mouth hanging open, frankly.
I can't believe the OP is getting such a hard time when all she is saying is to use commonsense.

I'm completely bemused that people think their right to wear perfume trumps someone elses right to breathe.

and the people who told OP to go post on a Canadian forum need to seriously think about the way in which they speak to people. the world wide web means we have people from all over the globe on mumsnet, and all the better for understanding things from other cultural perspectives.

that shit is rude.

IMO it's not about health care workers "right to wear perfume" it's about how enforceable and practical it is to prevent health care from either using perfumed products or being contaminated with perfumed products from other patients.
Severe nut allergies are much more common than severe perfume allergies and in my trust hospital food is guareneeted nut free but patients are allowed to bring in their own snacks/food which can be nuts or contain nuts. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of mess people makes with their own food around their beds scattering it far and wide with complete disregard for anyone else and who's going to clear it up, we frequently find discarded snacks including nuts on the floor, on bedside tables, window sills lockers down the side of chairs etc.

and the people who told OP to go post on a Canadian forum need to seriously think about the way in which they speak to people

If a Canadian person has a problem with Candian people breaking Canadian rules, there is little point acting all shocked that people in another part of the world, who do not have such rules, aren't agreeing with her and getting all het up about it.

OP was rude, superior, judgemental, and all based on her misunderstanding that silly rules they have in Canada are the same everywhere. I think its OP that needs to think how she talks to people.

I really hate artificial smells from perfume to air freshener, and next year I'm going to Canada. So now I'm VERY happy

I must admit I did find the OPs posts a tiny bit superior and patronising in tone...

As if we are all a bit backward here to not have policies about intolerances and sensitivities to perfume.

OyesIam - I've visited Canada several times and I'm fairly sure there were lots of people using perfumes and air freshener whilst going about their daily lives.

Perfume is as common in Canada as it is anywhere else.

Yes indeedy user1474.

I wonder why Oyesiam thinks it isn't?

Yes Lymond FrancisCrawford

I was being horrible

People being refused MRI's because they wear perfume?
I had one done two years ago I always wear perfume when not a work and no one even mentioned it. We also regular.y send our patients for MRI's I can assure you wearing perfume is not on the check list.
You cannot apply perfume to an area you're having radiotherapy on.

Yes, they tell you when you book your appointment not to wear scent. Same with ct scans and mammography. It says if you wear scent you will be asked to reschedule your appointment. I think for this it's something to do with the machines. You are also asked to not wear scent to any allergy appointments, ENT, neurology and most GP offices. For the GP offices they aren't as strict and I believe it's done as a courtesy. But for specialist appointments it's asked because of asthma, allergies, etc.

I work in health and have never been briefed not to wear scented products.
I don't wear perfume to work but many of the other products I use will be scented.

Refusing people MRI's etc because the are wearing something scented is idiotic, and a clear case of beuracracy above sense. Putting actual sick people at risk because of a tiny theoretical risk of setting off someones allergy?
And you think that WE are the backwards ones? Thats a joke!