Nicotine Test, No smoking policy

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was just wondering what everyone else felt about the no smoking policy that is enforced to work at many healthcare facilities around the US right now.

I smoke the vapor nicotine system. It does not incur the health hazards that smoking cigarettes do. For example, no second/third hand smoke, my lungs have been clearing out the tar, my smell is returning to normal, and all the other things that relate to what happens when you quit smoking cigarettes.

Now, I called the hospital and asked if they were doing the CO2 and tar test to see if people were smoking, and they said no its just a general nicotine test. Now, many people use nicotine but in ways that do not effect you as smoking does. For example, nicotine patches, gum, vapor systems, and chew. The requirement though states that they are only excluding nurses who smoke cigarettes?

Do you think the nicotine excluded is fair because their are other ways to take in nicotine. Also, there are also other health issues caused by many self inflicted health risk factors. What about weight, alcohol intake, or multiple other things that effect our health negatively.

I understand excluding people that smoke cigarettes due to the risk that it could cause to the patients with second hand smoke, even though I always see nurses standing off hospital property smoking anyway. How is it justified to exclude nicotine all together?

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Unfortunately, this rule is espousing a while lot of qualified workers.

In my area, two of the major health systems are not hiring people because they have a no-nicotine policy. I just accepted a position with one; they had me sign a form stating that I attest that I don't use nicotine products.

I wonder if they will still test me to see if I actually have nicotine in my system. I will update with the results after I go for the physical. :yes:

At least they are being more honest about it than the hospital in the OP. That hospital is lying about what it is doing

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