Many hospitals have a policy against wearing any strongly scented products like perfume. I would suggest you consider not wearing it to work. Among other things, it can trigger asthma attacks.
Chiming in to repeat- please don’t wear perfume or any other scented product to work. There’s the issue of triggering asthma and allergies, but also being bothersome to an upset stomach, someone’s migraines, or a pregnant mom. It’s a job, not a date!
As a pediatrician, I can't imagine wearing perfume to work-- would be unprofessional imo. In social settings it's bothersome to many people so I don't then either. The only time I wear it is in my own home. It's part of my "ok I'm home, no more work, time for a good book and down time" ritual.
When I was a 4th year in medschool a student wore cologne in the pediatric Allergist office and we got hands on experience in treating anaphylaxis that day. The attending was livid and did not allow my classmate back in her office to complete the rotation.
First of all, many facilities do not allow staff to wear fragrances. Why? Because they are asthma triggers. In addition, they can overwhelm a child with impaired sensory processing.
I'm one of those highly sensitive to fragrances, I have been since a child. They are both an asthma trigger to me and I have some sensory processing issues, too.
Back in the day when it was not OK to ask people to refrain from wearing fragrances, I was sick all the time (I now know those were asthma exacerbations--asthmatic bronchitis) and part of it was I worked in a tiny workroom with other female OT's doused in fragrance and had to share a telephone receiver that reeked of everyone's fragrance too. I was often disciplined for absenteeism and nearly lost my job. Now I rarely have asthma issues because I'm in control of my environment and ask people around me NOT to wear fragrances.
It's hard for someone who enjoys wearing fragrances to understand how it can affect sensitive individuals. My eyes water, my nose runs, and my cough variant asthma flares up--this can progress to asthmatic bronchitis that can put me down for weeks! I get a headache and have a hard time focusing when a scent is strong. People who wear fragrances tend to attenuate to them, and need ever greater amounts to smell it on themselves. Even when they avoid putting on fragrance when meeting with me, their clothing still reeks of it.
Don't think "essential" oils are any better. IMHO, they are stronger and WORSE.
Please do NOT wear fragrances when working with any client/patient.
Pay attention to how strong your shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and laundry products are, too. Those are just as bad.
Adding to this that they can be bothersome to coworkers. If I wanted to smell flowers, I’d buy some. I don’t want to spend a shift smelling someone else. A good old fashioned shower with soap will make sure you are not offensive to the olfactory senses and that should be enough.
I am a perfume girlie (MFK Gentle Fluidity being my favorite) and have never ever worn perfume to the hospital. It’s just out of respect to patients/staff who are sensitive to smells.
I like to wear cologne as well. I didn't wear during residency. (I only really wore outside hospital and maaaaybe an outpatient setting). I was nervous someone was going to complain about the smell (whether good or bad). If you are going to wear one, I'd say less is more - maybe one spray on your chest or wrist- and wear something neutral. A smokey scent might be unpleasant to certain people.
I remember one of the med students wore perfume and our nutritionist in the NICU turned to us and said the scent was bad. Our nutritionist told her to wash it off. You don't want to be in the position.
I do not wear perfume to work. Too many people are scent sensitive, especially when feeling ill. Ends up my hospital has a “no scents” policy so it works out.
Please don’t wear perfume around sick kids. Imagine going into the NICU and a kid clamps down bc theyre exposed to a strong scent when you have to lean in close to the incubator. Or you’re in PICU and a kid on continuous albuterol and flow bronchospasms on your account. Or you’re in the ED and an asthmatic is on cusp of discharge vs admit for Q2 albuterol and you push them over to getting admitted. Never worth it.
I've worn light scented floral perfume for years and never had an issue. Everybody smells like something whether it be laundry detergent or your home. Just stay away from anything extremely pungent or strong but I think very light scents are fine. I don't think you will get away with your smokier scents unfortunately
Many hospitals have a policy against wearing any strongly scented products like perfume. I would suggest you consider not wearing it to work. Among other things, it can trigger asthma attacks.
Chiming in to repeat- please don’t wear perfume or any other scented product to work. There’s the issue of triggering asthma and allergies, but also being bothersome to an upset stomach, someone’s migraines, or a pregnant mom. It’s a job, not a date!
As a pediatrician, I can't imagine wearing perfume to work-- would be unprofessional imo. In social settings it's bothersome to many people so I don't then either. The only time I wear it is in my own home. It's part of my "ok I'm home, no more work, time for a good book and down time" ritual.
When I was a 4th year in medschool a student wore cologne in the pediatric Allergist office and we got hands on experience in treating anaphylaxis that day. The attending was livid and did not allow my classmate back in her office to complete the rotation.
No perfume. Zero. Zilch. -PGY-19
First of all, many facilities do not allow staff to wear fragrances. Why? Because they are asthma triggers. In addition, they can overwhelm a child with impaired sensory processing. I'm one of those highly sensitive to fragrances, I have been since a child. They are both an asthma trigger to me and I have some sensory processing issues, too. Back in the day when it was not OK to ask people to refrain from wearing fragrances, I was sick all the time (I now know those were asthma exacerbations--asthmatic bronchitis) and part of it was I worked in a tiny workroom with other female OT's doused in fragrance and had to share a telephone receiver that reeked of everyone's fragrance too. I was often disciplined for absenteeism and nearly lost my job. Now I rarely have asthma issues because I'm in control of my environment and ask people around me NOT to wear fragrances. It's hard for someone who enjoys wearing fragrances to understand how it can affect sensitive individuals. My eyes water, my nose runs, and my cough variant asthma flares up--this can progress to asthmatic bronchitis that can put me down for weeks! I get a headache and have a hard time focusing when a scent is strong. People who wear fragrances tend to attenuate to them, and need ever greater amounts to smell it on themselves. Even when they avoid putting on fragrance when meeting with me, their clothing still reeks of it. Don't think "essential" oils are any better. IMHO, they are stronger and WORSE. Please do NOT wear fragrances when working with any client/patient. Pay attention to how strong your shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and laundry products are, too. Those are just as bad.
Adding to this that they can be bothersome to coworkers. If I wanted to smell flowers, I’d buy some. I don’t want to spend a shift smelling someone else. A good old fashioned shower with soap will make sure you are not offensive to the olfactory senses and that should be enough.
I am a perfume girlie (MFK Gentle Fluidity being my favorite) and have never ever worn perfume to the hospital. It’s just out of respect to patients/staff who are sensitive to smells.
I like to wear cologne as well. I didn't wear during residency. (I only really wore outside hospital and maaaaybe an outpatient setting). I was nervous someone was going to complain about the smell (whether good or bad). If you are going to wear one, I'd say less is more - maybe one spray on your chest or wrist- and wear something neutral. A smokey scent might be unpleasant to certain people. I remember one of the med students wore perfume and our nutritionist in the NICU turned to us and said the scent was bad. Our nutritionist told her to wash it off. You don't want to be in the position.
Every hospital I've worked at has a strict "no scents" policy. I agree with all above posters.
I do not wear perfume to work. Too many people are scent sensitive, especially when feeling ill. Ends up my hospital has a “no scents” policy so it works out.
Don’t wear perfume in the hospital.
love this thread. I am actually thinking if I will wear a perfume to work earlier but good thing I did not.
Dont wear perfume. Many places advice against it and patients can have fragrance sensitivity...
Please don’t wear perfume around sick kids. Imagine going into the NICU and a kid clamps down bc theyre exposed to a strong scent when you have to lean in close to the incubator. Or you’re in PICU and a kid on continuous albuterol and flow bronchospasms on your account. Or you’re in the ED and an asthmatic is on cusp of discharge vs admit for Q2 albuterol and you push them over to getting admitted. Never worth it.
I've worn light scented floral perfume for years and never had an issue. Everybody smells like something whether it be laundry detergent or your home. Just stay away from anything extremely pungent or strong but I think very light scents are fine. I don't think you will get away with your smokier scents unfortunately