what should I do?

[RNWWTBDAPP]

Hi,  So I'm an RN in a hospital. I've read some healthcare workers, particularly those in ICUs who have to wear full body respirators, and who can't change out of them have been wearing diapers. I've also heard that some healthcare workers have been wearing diapers to avoid using the toilets which they fear is a vector for spreading covid, particularly females. I suspect  a few co-workers who have to work on floors that have had covid positive patients and staff have been doing this. My floor is not one of these floors, but I've long suspected a co-worker and now her wife who does work on covid floors of wearing. Recently I've been having emotional and mental problems, part of it stemmed from this suspicion. This is the closest I've come to a real-life experience outside my ex-gf's situation. Due to my emotional/mental issues and being ASD my social weaknesses have become more pronounced. As a result I've become more socially isolated. I made the mistake of questioning my co-work about it and it ended up being extremely awkward as one would guess. She denied wearing herself and instead of focusing on the covid issue I focused on an a different but conceivable reason for her to be wearing. So to sum up I'm now working in an environment where there is actual reason to wear (though less so for males). But I lack the confidence to do it on my own. I've tried my work clothes with a diaper on underneath and taken pictures and the bulge is noticeable, also my walk is different. Another issue is my therapist told me he was afraid I might act out and lose my job. I feel this is an opportunity but my judgement has been poor of late. Also what if I feel worse because even if I wear I have no one to share it with and provide support except a good friend who doesn't work at hospital and isn't into diapers. So what should I do?

[Apache Raccoon]

It’s possible your co-worker is wearing a diaper but would rather keep wearing a diaper to her self

I think maybe you should start wearing a diaper to work:

A bulge and a funny walk is a small price to pay to stay safe during these COVID times: I don’t know if COVID can be acquired from toilet seats but is it worth the risk?

Also you could try some more discreet pull ups.

If anyone like your boss asks, you can just tell them because of COVID and your ASD you feel more comfortable and can concentrate on your job better having a diaper on.

As far as people to share it with, you have people here on Daily Diapers

[Little Sherri]

I would echo what @~Brian~ said, that wearing protection is a small concession to safety within your "ground zero" workplace; you folks are on the front lines. Thank you for your service, as an aside. 

As to wearing diapers in the workplace, basically, it's nobody's business if you feel better doing that; it definitely should not be a reason for terminating anyone's employment, although obviously you want to be discrete about it - exhibitionism quite likely could be a reason for censure. I used to have a fair bit of anxiety about wearing in work situations, but that has greatly diminished with experience. I don't have to wear a uniform when I'm at work; generally it's khakis or dress pants, so it may be easier for me than it is for you. I find onesies (diaper shirts) that look like t-shirts to be a huge help, along with strategically up-sizing my wardrobe one size as I go along - this might be something you want to consider if you plan to integrate diapers long term. 

As to your possible issue with your coworker and your suspicion that they might be wearing protection, I think that this comes down to what I said a moment ago about it being nobody's business; for most people, diapers are like underwear, and obviously, approaching a coworker, particularly a female, and inquiring as to their underwear preferences, regardless how benign the intentions, could be misinterpreted, and probably unappreciated. I understand that your ASD can make this less apparent to you, and hopefully your coworker understands this as well, and can move past it. It takes a lot to engage with someone on that topic - other than here, the only person I have spoken openly with about wearing diapers is my wife, and, remember, I like diapers and I like talking about them. It's possible, indeed probable, that if she's wearing something, she's feeling intensely private about it. Going back into diapers is generally considered a demotion for most people, because the message that "diapers are for babies" was drilled into us at a foundational time in our development. It's not an easy notion to shake. 

Work with your therapist about recognizing what is situationally appropriate, and about impulse control, and hopefully this blows over - you are in a very important role; even if you're not directly dealing with Covid patients, your work is providing capacity and elasticity within the system so that others can. Take care, @RNWWTBDAPP.

[Evelyn Dellcerro]

Protection is protection is protection. This is not the time to skimp on protection sweetie and you of all know you are at very high risk. Take it from a long time diaper lover and wearer, dont worry what others say and do you. I bow down to emergency and essential workers and give you guys a big thumbs up for having the balls. Anyone that takes care of people and risks their own safety is a hero in my eyes. Believe me I kept my diapers a secret and I am now fifty five and still loving my diapers. Many people will not admit to you that they wear diapers and you shouldnt burden your mind with that. Stay focused on your job and I am quite sure others will talk and emphasize the importance of wearing diapers. Just be you and rock them diapers at work, and if others ask, tell them you fear getting sick from using the bathrooms and want to stay healthy to help others live. Peace and come chat in the chatroom and feel comfy with other diaper wearing people.

[~Brian~]

4 hours ago, RNWWTBDAPP said:

Hi,  So I'm an RN in a hospital. I've read some healthcare workers, particularly those in ICUs who have to wear full body respirators, and who can't change out of them have been wearing diapers. I've also heard that some healthcare workers have been wearing diapers to avoid using the toilets which they fear is a vector for spreading covid, particularly females. I suspect  a few co-workers who have to work on floors that have had covid positive patients and staff have been doing this. My floor is not one of these floors, but I've long suspected a co-worker and now her wife who does work on covid floors of wearing. Recently I've been having emotional and mental problems, part of it stemmed from this suspicion. This is the closest I've come to a real-life experience outside my ex-gf's situation. Due to my emotional/mental issues and being ASD my social weaknesses have become more pronounced. As a result I've become more socially isolated. I made the mistake of questioning my co-work about it and it ended up being extremely awkward as one would guess. She denied wearing herself and instead of focusing on the covid issue I focused on an a different but conceivable reason for her to be wearing. So to sum up I'm now working in an environment where there is actual reason to wear (though less so for males). But I lack the confidence to do it on my own. I've tried my work clothes with a diaper on underneath and taken pictures and the bulge is noticeable, also my walk is different. Another issue is my therapist told me he was afraid I might act out and lose my job. I feel this is an opportunity but my judgement has been poor of late. Also what if I feel worse because even if I wear I have no one to share it with and provide support except a good friend who doesn't work at hospital and isn't into diapers. So what should I do?

@RNWWTBDAPP

I think, that you should do what you think is right for your situation.  We all know how hard Doctors, Nurses, Orderles, and other medical professionals work, and for that I salute you for what you do every day to help the weak or the sick or infirm/elderly.  You have a job that requires you to be on the move, and sometimes, the poor nursing staff DON'T GET potty breaks:  so, they may decide to wear a diaper to deal with that, and change in a staff/doctors lounge.  I would not worry about it, and if you have a supervisor that questions you, you could always tell him why, but I doubt that would lead to losing your job, because Nurses are like ANGELS to those who need help, and they give of themselves to make sure you're comfortable -  YOU need to be comfortable too, and who knows, you may find people at work that share your situation, but as been stated, they may want to keep the wearing of "protection" to themselves.

You always will have friends here - It may take time to get to know them, but they are here, for support and guidance and I am glad they are

Good Luck!

Brian

[RNWWTBDAPP]

So I wore to work today only a short shift for four hours. First time out in public for an extended period of time. Wore an NS Go Supreme pull-up. No issues, didn't use it except for sweat. Not sure I felt much different but it was certainly an experience.

[rusty pins]

I suggest, as Brian said, do what you feel comfortable with doing.  Start slow as you did and determine if it helps you out doing your job mentally, capably and physically or not.  I work in a hospital as well, although not in close contact with covid patients.  I know many hospitals are overloaded, no more room for patients, well past the breaking point and people are working 12 hour shifts 7 days a week with barely time to recover each day and not enough doctors and nurses to meet the demand.  Other hospitals have surges and recoveries that balance out and are not over crowded.  It depends on your city's situation and number of spiking covid patients.  In Los Angeles, for example, I could see the overwhelmed and overworked staff having to resort to diapers to keep up with the demands made upon them to try and save as many lives as they can.

In your specific situation, I'd base my decision on your daily work.  Are you completely overwhelmed, have such high demands on you that you are working 12 hour days or are constantly going from one patient to another with absolutely no break in between?  Do you have regular times between patients where you can stop for a moment, take a drink of water, go to the restroom, munch a snack?  If you wear protective clothing, how much of an effort or how long does it take to go to the bathroom if any special clothing has to be removed first, or you have to change scrubs, masks or any special clothing?  Another consideration is how often you have to urinate.  With my age I usually go every 2 hours or so.  When working, can you stop and use the restroom whenever you have to go or are the demands on you for the care of your patients so great you rarely get any time to use the restroom and you are feeling a lot of discomfort from having to hold it?  That is a major factor.  Only you know how your daily job goes and how you've normally been getting through it from doing it as long as you have.  I say if you have time in your day for regular bathroom breaks, do so and forgo wearing any diaper or absorbent undergarment.  They can work two ways as a distraction.  Without a diaper would you be distracted any from the care of your patients due to having an uncomfortable strong need to urinate when you can't take time to use the restroom, and likewise, would the fact that you are wearing a diaper (and possibly feeling strange, concerned others will notice or excited to be wearing and possibly wetting diapers while working) also be a distraction to you and your care of patients?

Working at a hospital the care of your patients comes first as they have their lives in your hands.  Anything that can take your focus away from your job could cause a mistake, such as the wrong dosage of medicine or a delay in responding to a Code Blue.  Do what you feel is best for you based on your own work schedule and the demands of your job, not because you may get a bit of a secret thrill from wearing diapers at work or because someone here who is AB or DL tells you to "Go ahead and just wear diapers" because that is their own lifestyle.  Do what you feel is best for your patients and yourself and put both their care and your own well being ahead of anything else.

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

This could affect your work. See a councellor voluntarily, while you still have a choice

[RNWWTBDAPP]

I am seeing a counselor and a psychiatrist hopefully soon. I did wear one other time last week but didn't use. To help me organize my thoughts I have written a therapeutic letter to the co-worker about the situation. I would never actually give this letter to her. I merely present it to explain my thought process and anxiety. I should add that aside from the issues relevant to this site I also had some anxiety from the changes to my routine that occurred when we started working together and clashes with her nursing and communication styles. I'm attaching this letter. Names have been changed to protect the innocent and I blanked out the full names of medications I mention for privacy.therapeuticletter.docx

[~Brian~]

On 1/16/2021 at 3:15 AM, RNWWTBDAPP said:

I am seeing a counselor and a psychiatrist hopefully soon. I did wear one other time last week but didn't use. To help me organize my thoughts I have written a therapeutic letter to the co-worker about the situation. I would never actually give this letter to her. I merely present it to explain my thought process and anxiety. I should add that aside from the issues relevant to this site I also had some anxiety from the changes to my routine that occurred when we started working together and clashes with her nursing and communication styles. I'm attaching this letter. Names have been changed to protect the innocent and I blanked out the full names of medications I mention for privacy.therapeuticletter.docx

@RNWWTBDAPP

I think that it is wise to see a counselor to deal with the issues that you have alluded to:  Your first duty is to your patients and to help them get better, and these type of issues can be distracting.  I would, use that letter, as a way to communicate your concerns to whom you are seeing.  Just as an observation, if you plan on showing that to a professional, you should probably clean it up a little, and double space it so that it is easier to follow.

That letter is a good start: Just remember, your mission is to your patents, and if there are issues with your co workers, these should be dealt with IF there are safety concerns as soon as possible, as you need to concentrate on your job as best you can, because you don't want a problem or mistake to cause problems that are a direct result of a negative outcome:  Good Luck!

Brian

 

[feralfreak]

you asked a coworker if she was wearing a diaper? sounds like crossing a boundry, it might be a good idea to apologize, if she has one on or not its her business, as for you wearing, i would ask if you honestly feel you are at risk of getting covid from the bathroom? how often does the housekeeping service clean it? could you give the bosses the idea of installing one of those covid killing UV lights to be kept on at all times? could you carry spray disinfectant with you? they make little containers of it