No smoking policy

Someday-C.R.N.A. · Oct 2, 2005

And as for the poor innocent folk who 'have' to work in these bars (most of which smoke anyway, from my experience)...........I think they were probably made aware of the working conditions BEFORE they accepted the job, so I don't feel sorry for them.

As for smoke-free areas in bars, that's cool if it's possible (think floorplan), but if a bar owner wants their place dark and smokey, that's their decision to make. People who don't like it can move on to the next bar. A few months ago, a smoke-free bar opened up down the road a piece. It's not there any more (slighty ahead of it's time around here). In a few years, maybe another one will open and stick around.

CathRN · Oct 2, 2005

As a smoker (please don't flame me), I feel that I have the right to smoke where I want (I do not smoke while on duty or around non-smokers). The same goes for the non-smokers, they have the right not to smoke, but don't lecture me on my choice to smoke. I feel that I can do what I want in my car, in my home, etc. and the hospital that I work for has no right to try and tell me what to do on my own time. I am with another poster here, apparently this isn't a "free" country anymore.

MacNurse · Oct 2, 2005

We have a no smoking policy in the hospital AND all city buildings..libraries.........malls......and BARS are included.
Z

And I love it! :hatparty

Todd SPN · Oct 2, 2005

The hospital I did clinicals at had a no smoking policy on the grounds or in your car. You would see smokers across the street lighting up.

My state is talking about no smoking in bars. As someone mentioned the bars are having a fit due to the tribal casinos continuing to allow it. The state is going to talk with them and try and change their mind--like that will happen :chuckle

There is a major timber/lumber company that has taken a stance on gun control and does not allow any type of firearm to be kept in an employees vehicle that is parked on their property. They feel if they own the land they can control what you keep in your vehicle.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Oct 2, 2005

You can expect that some people will comply since it is pretty common nowadays for places to be smoke free. There will be patients who will be rebelious and insist on smoking. Some will just try to "sneak" their smokes. Others are going to be very verbal about their feelings on this. Just follow the hospital policy. The hospital should have anticipated that some people were going to be very much against it and not comply. They should give you guys direction on how to deal with those people rather then leave you hanging out there to deal with it on your own (like we were). As part of the admission process, the admitting department should be informing scheduled admits ahead of time about the no smoking policy so the patient can make a decision as to whether to be admitted or not. Emergency admits are another story. It sometimes helps to get the patient's doctor's involved in explaining this "no smoking" business to the patients. We also talked with the family and visitors asking them to remove the patient's cigarettes and to not bring them any. Of course, there will be families who are going to be as insistant as the patients about their smoking rights. I wouldn't get involved in any altercations or arguments with patients or families over this. If you have a patient who is continually breaking the rule and smoking anyway I would just report it to the shift supervisor or my manager and let her deal with the problem. For the real hard-core smokers who absolutely insisted on smoking we would send them outside with another hospital employee accompanying them when we could. The smokers are the best employees to do this, so they can sneak their smokes too. I've had patients that went AMA over this.

I don't think your hospital is going to like having the general public seeing groups of people (visitors, patients, employees) huddled around outside just off the hospital grounds to get a smoke. It looks like they're loitering and is very tacky. Other businesses will complain.

Some years ago the hospital I worked in that went no smoking just dropped it in the nurses laps to enforce. The way I dealt with it was I would explain the no smoking policy to the patient and ask that they please try to comply. If I caught them smoking I wouldn't chastize them, but I would make some tactful or smart alec remark about the no smoking rule. I made sure my supervisor, manager, and the doctor knew a patient was not following the rules. That's as far as I would go. The hospital had given us no other direction and I wasn't going to play policeman. It's been years since the no smoking policy has even come up where I've worked. There's more involved to a smoking habit than just having the nicotine on board, so the patches are not going to be a total solution to this. I think it's interesting that facilites are using the verbage "smoke free" rather than "no smoking". I wonder if that is deliberate because smoking is not illegal in most places. The problem with this whole issue of no smoking is how to enforce it. I don't know if a hospital can throw a patient out for breaking a no smoking rule. That would be an interesting topic to discuss and get an answer to.

jmgrn65, RN · Oct 2, 2005

My hospital has a no smoking policy any where on campus if you need to smoke you can get in your car and drive around the block as long as you aren't on campus, but then of course everyone know that you did it because you stink. patients can smoke in designated areas. I have heard that we were going to stop that. their policy had been that patient and visitors were too stressed to say they couldnt smoke.

GrnHonu99, RN · Oct 2, 2005

Today, my hospital went "no smoking" any where in the hospital or on the grounds (not even in your car). It is now a state law that all hospital s are "smoke-free". I think it's great, but I don't smoke. Some of the staff do and alot of our pts do. We will have orders for nicotine patches as needed for pts. But I was wondering how many other hospitals are going smoke-free and how they are handling the changes.
I remember at my first job, the nurses could smoke in the break room and pts could smoke in the rooms (w/o O2 of course). The times they are a-changing!

I dont smoke but I agree that hospitals should ALL be non smoking. I am confused by t he comment "any where in the hospital". Are there hospitals out there that still permit you to smoke inside?? I assumed that smoking inside a hospital had been banned for quite some time due to pts and smoke allergies, etc.

I can understand the no smoking directly outside of the hospital. I have asthma that is aggrevated by smoke and when I would come in the front doors there would always be several pts or family members smoking outside, drove me crazy.

On the other hand I dont see how smoking in one's car would hurt anyone..isn't that kind of like smoking in your own house?

I don't care to be around smoke but that is me, if others wish to smoke that is their decision and if they wish to do it in their cars in the parking lot away from me then that does not bother me.

As for malls and libraries, public buildings...as far back as I can remember really we have never been able to smoke inside any building except bars and restaurants (Im 25). NYC went to no smoking in bars and if they can do it i'd think almost any other city could. I like that there is no smoking in some restaurants. I have been in quite a few where the smoking section was only seperated from the non smoking section by a small partition...definetly doesn't keep the smoke away..but if they are in another room doesnt usually bother me. I used to be a smoker so I understand the frustration of not being able to smoke anywhere but after hearing what second hand smoke can do to others I totally understand it. Free country? well yes, but if you are affecting other's health that isnt totally fair but not being able to smoke in ones own car, maybe going a bit too far!:)

nialloh, RN · Oct 3, 2005

The bar could always install an air scrubber that will filter out the smoke. A lot of the bars in Jersey (at least the one's I've been to) have them. They're actually very good. Make it mandatory to have them installed and leave it at that. The bar can then decide to be smoke free or install the filter/filters (depending on the size of the bar).

DhornRN · Oct 3, 2005

I support the no-smoking policy. The hospital I'm working for doesn't employ smokers and pre-screens with labwork before hiring. I think it's a good policy.

toadie · Oct 3, 2005

i work for a hospital that is smoke free. the hospital i work for was voted #1 for cardiac for several years in a top magazine. i believe they went smoke free to enforce their image as a heart healthy facility. i do not smoke and am not effected by the policy. as nurses we have to give smoking cessation pamphlets and information to all patients who admit to smoking.

i understand the debates of freedom of choice but i feel the policy is great. i think its aweful when nurses, doctors and na's come back from their break smelling of smoke and then lean overr patients to assess them or what not. just my opinion.:) :)

sasha1224 · Oct 3, 2005

Our hospital went smoke free about two years ago. no employees could smoke on the grounds, so of course we all moved off hospital property. There was no voting staff, it was decided by TBTB. OF course one of theit main reasons was fir the health for the children. Ok I can see that.... but we did't stop parents from smoking on grounds and often they reek more than staff. So this year they revamped the policy that one could not smoke at any time on their shift(once again visitors where exempted) and of course doctors!! I am a smoker, after the first new days of the new policy I didn't have any difficulty waiting to get off shift. I guess it just irks me that certain groups are excluded(docs, contract workser and students) If we are going smoke free it should apply to everybody.

Nicky032605 · Oct 3, 2005

I think it is a very good idea. Just as I was leaving the hospital with my newborn, I walked out the doors to see a nurse leaning up against a no smoking sign just puffing away on her cigarrette. :smokin: :nono: I was pretty pissed, :angryfire but I didn't do anything about it. I can understand why they wouldn't want you to smoke on your break. Years ago I was in the hospital on Chemotherapy and all of my senses were hightened. I was easily nauseated by any offensive odor. :barf01: I can't tell you how awful this would be. Sometimes even the smell of certain foods would be awful. Why do that to patients who are already suffering enough??? :barf02: I think I saw another post on here somewhere .. and in it the OP said that because the patient was under orders not to smoke (damaging to their health and life due to what they were admitted for), that if they chose to smoke, then the Doctor could not and would not be held responsible for their treatment and health. They would have to leave the hospital and smoke at home. The Doctor would "fire" the patient due to non compliance. My mom stopped smoking 10 years ago due to beginning stages of emphezema... she just again began smoking. :cry: I had completely forgotten how bad it smells. I tell her she may not smoke in my home, or be near my son if she is smoking. So even if stepped out somewhere, or had been smoking earlier, we could still smell it on her. :banghead: At least she isn't smoking around us though. :chair: Just my point of view...