Heavy perfume in medical facilities, or anywhere, really

I have moderate COPD and I am to avoid filling my car with gas, and avoid air pollutants of all kinds. I have been at Mayo, Rochester many times and really haven't noticed too many "stinky" staff/patients, to be fair that would include men with too much after shave/cologne also. I truly think it is a matter of awareness and knowledge..... would someone purposely "bathe" in a airborne pollutant knowing it could harm someone else? I don't know if MC has a policy for staff, but if they don't they should.

Indeed there is a policy for Mayo Clinic staff regarding scents. Our dress and decorum work policy, given to all employees when they start at Mayo Clinic, states:
“It is unacceptable for employees to smell of cigarette smoke or other strong perfumes or odors while at work. Employees who arrive in the work area with the smell of cigarette smoke or other strong smells on their clothing will be required to change before entering the work area.”

Hi,I am not a Nurse,I am a School Bus Driver,I am having a hard time with a Nurse,there is an student who needs a Nurse at School,so I drive the Student and the Nurse to school,is an 1 hour ride,she wear a very strong perfume ,that make me sick,I open the windows to help me to breath,she keeping asking me to close it.I don't know how to handle this,I think Nurses should'n wear perfume,she looks very rude to me,i don't even know how to handle this,I don't want to hurt her feelings.

Hi. I respect you for speaking up. You can share my story with her If you like(?)
I have said this, and people have asked if their perfume bothered me. I say, yes!

Maybe share this:
I just heard a story about a lady who was diagnosed with lung cancer and shockingly she never smoked!
After loosing one lung she did a lot of research as to what may have caused this. Did you know people like me who are sensitive to deodorizer, air fresheners, perfumes and even some laundry soaps may be at risk for lung diseases?
And do you know lung cancer is not only a silent killer but it is the #1 cancer killer and can affect women men and even children?

There will be One Billion deaths in this century due to lung cancer. Hope this helps.

Best
Linda

@peggyj4411 good morning. Welcome to Connect. This must seem intolerable! Have you spoken to anyone in Administration or Management?
I'm not in favor of being sweet in this situation. I am a lung cancer survivor and in close quarters it's horrible.
You are paying to stay there, let them know how these oders effect you. They are there to protect you not make things worse.
Can you speak up to them or have a family member do it?

Some people just don't care. There are signs here at Mayo Phoenix about perfumes and sensitivity and to please refrain from wearing any while entering this bldg etc.
Maybe they've cut down on the amount of offensive perfume wearers, but even a sign at the entrance hasn't completely done away with them.
While a very light, properly worn scent doesn't bother me much, over use feels as if my last lung is getting squeezed of its last breath.

After my pneumonectomy, and subsequent chemotherapy, I became even more sensitive to perfumes and other strong smells. Believe it or not, the radiology technician at the hospital, who came in every single day I was hospitalized, practically bathed in Patchouli oil. It doesn't get any stronger or more offensive than that. At least in my opinion. It's as if someone strangles their from you. Even if it's an small amount they wear. I finally had to tell her that she needed to warn me before entering my room so I could cover my face. She was kind and apologized but continued to wear it.
Patchouli must have come back into style as I'm smelling it more and more in the last year. Back in the 60s, it was just worn by us dirty hippies to mask the smell of pot 😂
(just kidding of course 😉)

@mdcjb, I am not a lung patient, however I just don't like the smell of strong scents. I am known to avoid or rush past a candle store ot cosmetic counter in a store or shopping mall, or the detergent aisle at the grocery store. I have also become more aware of how much my own perfume might be offensive to others, so I go with a very light application when I use it.

When I get my appointment schedule prior to my Mayo visits, there is a notification posted with each procedure/visit to avoid using scented lotions, perfumes, after shave, etc. My own husband uses a product with a mild scent, so I suggested for him to avoid using it, just in case he sat next to someone who might be sensitive, and he said he never even thought about that because he does not have much of a sense of smell and never even notices scents. So, I wonder how many other people just are not aware. - I hope that we will see more signs like I once saw in an interstate rest stop that explained why they did not use scented soaps in their dispensers or fragrant air fresheners in their facilities!

I do hope that the radiology technician was not at Mayo. Mayo does have a policy for its staff as posted in a previous post by Colleenyoung on December 29, 2017. - Indeed there is a policy for Mayo Clinic staff regarding scents. Our dress and decorum work policy, given to all employees when they start at Mayo Clinic, states:
“It is unacceptable for employees to smell of cigarette smoke or other strong perfumes or odors while at work. Employees who arrive in the work area with the smell of cigarette smoke or other strong smells on their clothing will be required to change before entering the work area.”

I work in a hospital in the ICU. I am astounded by how many people come to work wearing perfume/cologne.
There was a male RN whose cologne was so strong it caused me a five day migraine episode ending with an injection. My PTO is gone and I incurred a doctor bill because of it.
I spoke to him about it, but he didn't change his tune.
I have spoken to everyone that I can think of and I am getting no help whatsoever. I dread going to work because I can't breathe and I feel so alone.

try following the chain of command. If none of that works go to HR. Still having problems? Try and get some personnel from the asthma and allergy area to back you up. I work in sales and sometimes a customer will come into the store with a scent so strong that it lingers even after they have left the store. When that happens I duck to the back and ask a coworker to handle the customer. Good luck, I know how hard it can be

Great advice! Thank you for your understanding 😊😊