Hot Chocolate or… Poop? A Day in the Life of My Nose at Work

“From delicious to disastrous—here’s what my nose goes through at work.”

Even before entering the hospital compound, I am craving the ever so tantalizing hot chocolate from the café. Especially on a cold winter morning, the feeling of the burning cup warming up my frozen fingers is a much-needed happiness. The strong, mouth-watering smell of hot chocolate enhances my life and work expectancy. Of course, I find myself a coffee and hot chocolate addict. In simple terms, I have successfully weaned myself to 1 cup of caffeine in the morning and 1 cup of tea in the evening. Sugar weaning, I have found, is slightly harder. I have gone cold turkey on my hot chocolate a couple of times but end up relapsing fairly quickly. Honestly during my hot chocolate stopping phases I wonder what is work life without a bit of sweetness.

After my long debate on whether or not I should get hot chocolate, I usually proceed to the staff room inhaling the chocolatey treat. I justify my purchase by telling myself that I am most likely not going to take a break and therefore I am rewarding myself early in the day. This is definitely not a healthy thought. Once I figure out and prioritise my day, off I go to my dedicated ward. 

As soon as my feet steps inside the ward doors, a waft of immense smells enters my nostrils unwelcomed. The contrast is insane. My nasal passages bid goodbye to the chocolatey goodness. A combination of hand sanitiser, air freshener, and poop befriends me. Definitely not a warm fragrance. It does get the gears in the brain turning, almost like a wake-up call to start working. Every turn and corner in the hospital expose me to strong alcohol smells (i.e. hand sanitiser). Being a health professional means our hands are clean and dry all day.

Of course, lunchtime eventually comes around. You would assume, I would look forward to lunchtime the most. Don’t get me wrong. I love taking time away from my ward eating whatever I have packed or buy for lunch. The problem is the floating lunch trolley for patients. I absolutely cannot stand the smell of yogurt specifically from this trolley. Personally, I love yogurt. However, one time, another staff member once mentioned their hate for the yogurt smell and this has imprinted on me, I guess. I try my best to sidestep the yogurt smell infected lunch trolley where possible.

There is a strong weapon against odours and that is the undefeatable mask. Problem is, technically masks make it hard to breathe for me. During COVID, I wore a mask literally 9 hours a day at work. It felt suffocating. It’s like a trauma at this stage. Of course, being in a hospital, masks are unavoidable.

Finally clean fresh air runs through my nose as I walk out of the hospital.

And that is a brief list of smells my nostrils ?look forward to at my work.

Written with sincerity,

Me.