Best way to endure terrible smells?

[Underoath87]

Ok, so I think we can all agree that the smells we encounter in EMS (or the medical field in general) can be the worst part of the job.

I've found that a few sprays of hospital-grade odor eliminator (the stuff designed to cover the smell of feces, necrotic wounds, etc) on the outside of a surgical mask or N-95 can make just about anything bearable.

A medic showed me this trick when we had to go into the bathroom of a dialysis clinic to rescue a guy who had dropped the world's foulest BM and exhausted himself to the point that he was slumping off the toilet.

I would have done it last week for a hospice patient with a GI bleed that befouled himself, except that I had no warning and was caught completely off guard.

Any other helpful tricks you would like to share?

 

[UnkiEMT]

I just get on with it, inside of about 15 minutes you lose your sensitivity to any give odor.

When I get back from the call, I'll either change my uniform to get rid of the smell or just ride around the block a few times on my bike without a jacket to blow it off.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Some people carry a small little container of Vicks (or other brand) that they will wipe under their nose. Others choose to breath through their mouths.

 

[Tigger]

In desperate times I've smeared hand sanitizer inside an N95. Wouldn't recommend that, couldn't smell anything for a few days. However we could smell the house from the street and it may have been all that kept me from a sympathy puke after my partner vomited in his mask and then aspirated the contents.

Usually I just bring some mints.

 

[Rin]

Master the fine art of not breathing. I don't recommend mouth breathing because you run the risk of tasting that foul odor.

 

[mgr22]

I breathe through my mouth. The only foul odor I think I can taste is very dense cadaverine, i.e. death many days old and unventilated.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Slow, shallow breaths through the nose. Seriously, saturate your nose with the smell and very quickly your brain will adjust so you don't smell it anymore. Like when you stop hearing the engines while flying.

Unless its really bad. The mouth breath, or make a Vick's mustache.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Vicks is designed to open your nasal passageways.....I've never understood that recommendation.

Apparently my nose doesn't work well because it's pretty rare I run into a smell that I'll even notice. Fire will be sitting there gagging and I'm like what's your deal bros?!

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Oops forgot to mention my sniffer is broke too.

Camphor does have vasodilatory properties, that just makes more room for the menthol and eucalyptus. Spread it on your 'stash or n95.

 

[teedubbyaw]

I've seen petroleum jelly under the nose used by police. I'm an automatic mouth breather in those situations. Makes me feel dirty, though.

 

[mycrofft]

Used to use stick style Mentholatum lip balm under the nose but I don't see it anymore.

Old detective trick is to dump coffee grounds in a frying pan and light the range burner under it.

CamphoPhenique on the upper lip is pretty good.

I would never recommend putting anything in a mask and huffing it.

 

[Underoath87]

Thanks for the replies, everyone

 

[TheLocalMedic]

Peppermint extract is a good one, just avoid getting it inside your nostril… it burns! Also, be careful because if the bottle opens or breaks in your pocket you'll smell like a candy cane for the rest of the day.

 

[mycrofft]

Bengay Liniment…..NO!

 

[Household6]

Have children. It'll desensitize you to everything.

 

[talusmonkey]

Small container of vicks

 

[Kevinf]

Level A hazmat PPE.

 

[TheLocalMedic]

Old detective trick is to dump coffee grounds in a frying pan and light the range burner under it.

I saw this years ago… It was a decomp and the body had been removed, but the smell was still awful. Pretty neat trick.

 

[Tigger]

Used to use stick style Mentholatum lip balm under the nose but I don't see it anymore.

Old detective trick is to dump coffee grounds in a frying pan and light the range burner under it.

CamphoPhenique on the upper lip is pretty good.

I would never recommend putting anything in a mask and huffing it.

I didn't huff the hand sanitizer intentionally :rofl:! It would seem I was not paying attention and squirted too much in, last time I make that mistake.

 

[GoldcrossEMTbasic]

GI Bleeds and Bowel Movements Eliminating the Odor.

I know that sometimes this is a squeamish subject to talk about. But we all do it. Having to drop a deuce. Either in between calls. But patients when they have one on the rig or on scene, some of the partners I have been with will make nasty looks on their face when the smell of feces is in the patient compartment. We all have smelly feces. And we have to get used to it. Especially GI bleeds they are rough but that is our job requirements to deal with. To avoid that look on our faces when we get on scene is either wear a surgical mask and spray some odor eliminator in the mask and or put on a N-95 to attempt to not smell the stench or use carmex or vicks and put some under our nostrils to counteract the smell and of course turn on the fan in the ambulance to ventilate the air. :rofl: