Worst Smells In The Hospital? There's a List For That!

I recently asked my thousands of Facebook readers to describe the worst smell in the hospital in their own words.  They did not disappoint.  The hospital setting provides the perfect opportunity to experience a crisis of unimaginable olfactory proportions.  Some people thought the smell of rotting flesh was the most intolerable smell in the hospital.  Other folks said the unmistakeable smell of melena was the worst.  Walking off an elevator onto a floor or unit and experiencing the smells of nasal suicide is a sure fire way to create interesting conversation.  Simply ask anyone who's job is stuck in the  DEFCON 4 zone what is the smell and where is it coming from and you'll be sure to get your unprofessional comments tank filled for the day.  It's not their fault though.   Their speech filters are contaminated with nasty. What are different solutions to getting rid of these terrible odors?  Is it medical grade air freshener?  Is it expensive air filtration systems?  Is it for doctors and nurses to wear a mask or munch on peppermint?  As we say in medicine, treat the underlying cause.  The underlying cause isn't the rotting flesh or the melena.  It's that the patient is on the same floor at the same time as you are.  Stop wasting time covering up the smell with expensive gimmicks.  The quickest and easiest way to make the worst smell in the hospital go away on your shift is to transfer t...
Source: The Happy Hospitalist - Category: Internists and Doctors of Medicine Authors: Source Type: blogs