Anyone work in a "no smoking " facility?

The point I was trying to make here in talking about my sister-in-law is that people who smoke are addicted and can no more control their addiction that someone hooked on crack. Denise knew that her smoking was the cause of her cancer, and really, what would she have gained form quitting after her diagnosis? Nothing. Patches and gum are very nice, but there's much more to addiction than physical cravings. In our zeal to tell others what they should do with their own bodies, we're creating problems that could have been predicted. And now, Alberta has gone smoke-free in our prisons. So far there have only been a few violent uprisings, but I suspect there are more in the offing.

I don't know how this problem can be solved. There aren't enough nurses to do basic care, true, so there can't be that added burden placed on the front-line staff. Smoking cessation programs might be a partial solution, but they have to be entered into freely, and because they take time to be effective they need to be started ahead of time, but who can predict a sudden and lengthy hospital admission? Perhaps a return to an enclosed and carefully ventilated smoking room within the building would satisfy the my-rights-are-more-valuable-than-your-rights people and keep the smokers safer.

if smoking patches worked no one would be smoking and all the tobacco companys would be broke
i hae worked at a rehab where the nurses who smoked would take a patient who was in a wheel chair downstairs for a smoke, of course this got the patients mad when the nurses, like me, who didn't smoke and wouldn't accompany them
i know that these patients are in a very stressful situation but we are resposible for their health
as for ama papers, you can REQUEST it be signed but if they refuse what are you going to do

My patients are supposed to be sick enough that they should not be leaving the building to go smoke. If they feel well enough to walk off the premises (a bit of a hike, actually) to smoke, then someone ought to be discharging them pronto.

I will not accompany a patient outside to smoke. I will, however, call security to accompany them back in.

Admission to a hospital is not an inalienable right, one that comes with absolutely no responsibility on the part of the patient. If someone is so sick that they are admitted in an emergent situation, I seriously doubt they are also well enough to walk off the floor for that puff. OTOH, if they are well enough to become a PITA about the situation....get out.

I am not a babysitter. My job is not to watch them 24/7 to make sure they don't slip out the elevator, as though they were five year olds. Anyone who wheels themselves out the door is doing so of their own volition, NOT with my permission, and they are the only ones responsible for the consequences. Woe be to the family member who tries to blame ME for their relative sneaking out.

They can use the patches we provide, they can use gum. Doesn't "work" as well as that cigarette? Sorry, but you'll have to choose between medical care (a significant portion of which is the result of that smoking much of the time) and the smoke.

Does tend to cut down on the length of stays of our drug seekers, btw: enforcing that "off the floor, earn a discharge" rule. They have to choose which they want more: hits of Dilaudid, or the smoking. Not much sympathy here, I'll tell ya.

It is hard to deal with...we try to be supportive, order nicotine patches/gum, etc....and if they have IVs or pumps, we explain that they cannot leave the floor. if they are only SL, we keep an eye on em, but if they're gonna go down, whatta you do?
family wise, there is no smoking on campus, but if you're loved one is in the hospital and you deal by smoking, I'm not gonna tell you to quit now.

we did it years ago and none of the dire predictions took place, at least on a large scale. No one is allowed off the floor with a PCA or IV pump infusion. Smokers are given patches and, if they are refused, they can opt out of treatment altogether. When faced with the cold hard facts they complied. Hard to preach good health then offer areas where people can kill themselves and others slowly.

I work in a No Smoking Hospital. No smoking on the grounds. Staff must leave the grounds to smoke and they do. I've been there for about a month and a half (and it's a hospital that is a mile from my house so I drive by it all the time) and I have never seen a patient smoking outside in front of the hospital. I've only seen one or two walk down to the road to smoke.

If our patient's are smoker the Drs will order a nicotine patch for them when they are admitted.

Our smoking ban is not really enforced well. I had a 69 year old post CVA guy who was meant to be on supervised smoking over the weekend. I took him out three times during the course of my shift and the first time I wasn't able to he was upset when I told him I was too busy and in the middle of a med pass.

The thing is, I knew I was going to be busy for at least an hour if not longer and then it was time for my break. He said he would stand and wait until I wasn't busy (like 2 feet away breathing down my neck) Luckily his family came to visit and took him out to smoke but why on earth is it my responsibility to do this?

I work in a rehab on weekends though, not a hospital.

doh!!

The hospital I work at is non-smoking. Employees used to be able to smoke in a screened in porch off the cafeteria, however; last yr that changed to no smoking anywhere w/in 100 ft of the facility. So now employees sit in their cars & smoke. (which makes them come in smelling worse than ever!!) The docs will write nicotine patch orders for pts- they used to be allowed to smoke on benches near the hospital entrance w/a staff person only-- talk about second hand smoke.

A few of you have mentioned accompanying patients outside to smoke. I'm sorry, but why should I expose myself to your second hand smoke?