Not hired if you smoke?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in None.

I was watching the news today and seen where a particular health care business were not hiring anyone that does not pass the nicotine test, but they are not firing the ones that have been there and smoke. Just thought I would see what everyones opinion is on it.

I've looked over quite a few pages and haven't seen anything being posted on this, so if it is I apologize. I just did not see it.

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Are you in Arkansas? There is a hospital that has been on the news from there that is doing this. I was just wondering if another hospital is in the news for it, too.

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Specializes in None.

Yeah, i'm in Virginia. I've never heard of this until today. I didn't know if other states were doing this too, I guess so.

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

The subject has been beaten to death. "Happy reading".

https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/hospital-will-not-589201.html

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

I've seen several posts here about whether it's acceptable for hospitals to require applicants to pass a nicotine drug test priot to hire.

Yes, many places are making this a requirement. But they can't fire current employees since not smoking was not a policy when they were hired. So they are grandfathered in. New employees will be required to pass drug tests proving that they don't smoke.

Smokers tend to have more health issues and thus will cost more in insurance and sick days than a non-smoker. That's the rationale behind it.

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Specializes in n/a.

It's not uncommon at all now. A few hospitals in Tennessee do nicotine tests, and I just moved to Kansas City and a few of them do as well.

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Specializes in General medicine/geriatrics.

My institution has this policy in place. Will not hire anybody that smokes, and if you were an employee when the policy was put in place and you still smoke, you pay a higher insurance premium. Going along with the thread about Baylor, my institution also has yearly wellness checks. If an employee does not comply and have the screening done, they also pay a higher insurance premium. I see no problem with it.

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Specializes in Hospital, ALF,Home Health,etc..

I just wanted to say Im in Florida and I'm not sure if they are doing the nicotine test but I know the hospitals are becoming "Non-Smoking Facilities" now. To me I believe that there has to be a reason behind all of this but I believe that it is wrong, They are not only taking the smoking thing away from nurses and staff they are also taking the priviliges away from the citizens and that is wrong. But I guess its the law (Dont know which one and didnt think theyre was such law but I guess so) and also just because nurses smoke does not mean that they cant be professionals when needed!:igtsyt:

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My institution has this policy in place. Will not hire anybody that smokes, and if you were an employee when the policy was put in place and you still smoke, you pay a higher insurance premium. Going along with the thread about Baylor, my institution also has yearly wellness checks. If an employee does not comply and have the screening done, they also pay a higher insurance premium. I see no problem with it.

When you're 22 you can afford to "see no problem with it." Wait a few years when you've started to develop some health issues. Thin, smoke-free people with normal BPs are not guaranteed to be or remain healthy. In the meantime, employers across the country will continue to shift their policies to add more diseases and conditions to the exclusion list, while at the same time wages will go down, with insurance premiums and extra fees continuing to rise. At 22, people tend to feel that that disease and bad health are so far off that they don't have to worry about it, but it happens quicker than you think.

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Specializes in CVSICU, Cardiac Cath Lab.

Checking in from Ohio--my hospital tests new employees for nicotine as well. They also do a lot to help current employees stop. They also tie health insurance costs to wellness checks. The way it has worked is that they have frozen rates for those who get screened. They aren't penalizing for having lifestyle diseases yet. You just have to have the screening, not necessarily meet certain criteria.

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The subject has been beaten to death. "Happy reading".

https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/hospital-will-not-589201.html

Yep...old news.

In TX, patients and staff were sent outside (and that was in 2002- they might have to go to Mexico now).

In IL, the hospital have been smoke free for years.

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Specializes in ICU.

Irritating, I live with a sm

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