I don’t know what to do. I walk into the exam room and am so overwhelmed by the odor (think barnyard x 100) that I blurt out “I’m so sorry-something must have died in here” before I realize that it’s my PATIENT! She apparently works at a petting zoo. I had to leave the room three times to catch my breath and wipe away the tears streaming from my eyes. Do you think I can ask her to shower before the next visit?
If she’s going to be a regular patient, I would definitely tell her. You may be doing her a big favor. She may be so accustomed to the smell from working in it for so long.
When I was an x-ray tech in the army, I used to get a lot of rank smelling feet when I had to do foot or x-ray ankles. If they were routine, I’d make them go wash their foot in a large plastic basin before I took their films.
If I get a truly smelly patient now. You know what kind I’m talking about, not just the general stinky, but the stinky where it’s hard to breathe and makes you want to puke, I just grab the fruity bathroom spray and fill the room with it. It may not be so good for my (or their) lungs, but it sure beats puking on them or not being able to do the exam at all.