smoke free

[mel1977]

anyone else's facility going 100% smoke free? Here in MO I guess there will be a state law passed next spring which will mandate this, so area hospitals have all come together and implemented this early, as of Sept. 1. There is absolutely NO SMOKING anywhere on hospital grounds, not even the parking lot. For me this isn't a big deal, I quit smoking two years ago but some of our nurses are having a hard time, and patients too. We are a rehab facility so patients will not come knowing they can't smoke. Others are niccing pretty badly, even though theyare offered smoking cessation tools like patches. We had a whole program for staff members and their families to prepare for this, including FREE Cessation products. I don't think but two of maybe 15 actually quit.

I am neither for nor against. I feel more so for the patients but by the time they get to us they haven't smoked in a while anyway-

We had one nurse who drove around on her break just to smoke. I guess I may have done the same if it were me, I don't know.

Anyway, like I said, no real opinion here-what do you all think? Smokers and non smokers alike :)

[mel1977]

ours isn't long term, we are more acute so we fall more under the hospital standards for rehab facilities. We (staff and sups) were just talking last night about who is gonna actually enforce this. There are signs all over the place that warn everyone there is no smoking anymore-but us nurses have agreed it is not our job so if a patient smokes and we don't catch them, OH WELL. we are encourage not to smoke at all for the smell of smoke FOR our patients. If they can't smoke, why should we. That is the thought. I understand. We don't have a big facility so there are limited areas to smoke out of sight, actually, none so getting caught is easy, and we are right off a busy street. I am just glad our place offered help for preperation, and I am glad I quit before this-It is one thing to stop on your own, another to have to on someone else's terms.

[**nurse**]

If you come in smelling of smoke........HARSH!!! I guess, windows open, cologne, gum and DENIAL........cause until it's as illegal as marijuana, I'd smoke on the way to and home from. I can do nicorette at work, but it's NOT illegal to smoke and I like it. Doesn't impair me, and if people don't like the way it smells can they fire other people for smelling like the wrong deodorant, aftershave, laundry softner?????? Reeking of it frequently through the day would be one thing if they are not supposed to be smoking at work, but once you wash your hands and chew some gum, it fades fast. I see more craziness on the horizon.......

[**nurse**]

ok, the asthma thing is totally valid. I don't work ER and in 11 years practice I've never triggered an asthma patient, though I've pushed a few wrong buttons on some criminally insane guys (who'd a thought they didn't like a mother image???)

[PeachPie]

I'm all for smoke-free because too many smokers aren't courteous to non-smokers. I wish more smokers not blow it in our directions, actually use designated smoking places, etc. I quit cold turkey a year ago, and ever since, it's been like eating someone else's snot.

Also, why is it that we can't wear perfume to work, yet people can come in smelling like smoke? I feel sorry for hypersensitive people like chemo patients.

[MQ Edna]

In theory a "smoke-free" campus is a good idea. But it's hard to enforce. Our hospital went smoke free in June, it was a big production.

Banners, announcements . . . and the coup de gras being the dismantling and destruction of the smoking "huts" outside of the main entrances to the hospital. There was alot of talk and anxiety among smoking co-workers about the closest areas considered off campus to have a smoke.

Within a month of going smoke free people where smoking outside, on campus as usual (in parking garages, by the entrances etc.), employees and visitors alike. It probably would have been better to leave the smoking huts up. Unless it's somehow enforced (smoking police???/kidding) its a useless policy . . unfortunately.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

We have a designated covered area in the back of the hospital- NOT near any entrances for patients- that both families and employees can use, usually people call the "smoke pit".

As it's a children's hospital not much issue re: pts smoking. We do get some people of legal age to smoke though it's rare they are actually smokers d/t the dx we usually have on our floor, I did have an older pt recently whom the doctors placed on a nicotine patch and didn't allow to smoke while inpatient, that decision wasn't r/t the diagnosis (cellulitis). (The pt did tell me the patch really helped w/cravings). But then again several months ago (different doctor) I had a pt of about the same age who had orders that they could go downstairs and smoke. So at our hospital I guess it's an MD order kind of thing and doesn't come up often anyway.

They do have those signs w/pictures of cute kiddos near the entrances and garage, say things like I can't come here if you smoke, and have explanations simple enough for most to understand, and I very very rarely do see anyone smoking in those areas.