Smokers

JMP · Feb 5, 2002

Michelle

I agree with you. Sometimes it just needs to be said, clearly and without clutter.

When there is the will- there is ALWAYS a way.

Everyone needs to find their own way.......... come out of the smoke filled "but-huts" and see the way.......it is out there.

Call your local health unit and find out all the MANY different ways are are available to stop smoking......make a PLAN.

Do it for yourself.......you will thank yourself in the years to come!

mario_ragucci · Feb 5, 2002

Lol, this is a great thread.

If it's really cold outside, how could you enjoy a cigarette? If someone came into a shelter and lit up a cigarette in freezing weather Iy'd laugh and step out the booth, because it's totally rude and everyone knows that. Of course, this can depend on my mood. If I feel more interactive, Iy'd ask them if they are aware of their rudeness, but I'd probably get told to be quiet because when people are bent, you can't change'em. Right?

See, if I had someone take an extended break on me, then I would feel compelled to take one on them. Now we have a problem. You hafta call people on their behavior. Thats your responsibility, although it shouldn't be that way. If someone takes 1.5x, or 2x the alloted break time, then say, "hey, what is the deal here?" If they give you the cold shoulder, as is often the case with many introverted individuals (who shouldn't be nurses to begin with [my opinion]), keep on it. Fair is fair, and abuse is abuse. Talk it out; be brave! People are a wonderful species with all different kinds of personalities. Get to know them all! :rolleyes:

As far as smoking being bad for you, please. There are plenty of stumps here in the Pacific Northwest if you wanna get on one :-)

Bobrn · Feb 5, 2002

A few questions for smokers:

1)Why do you smoke?

2)Do you want to quit?

If the answer to #2 is No, then..

3)Why not?

I smoked for ten years. Quit three times, hardest thing I ever did. Then I dipped! Met a patient in school who had a radical neck dissection with a trach for cancer, most likely related to a tobacco habit (dipping!). I thought to myself, No neckie-ectomies for me! I quit dipping. Also took three times.

I also don't drink much.Why? I flush after a few drinks (turn red) and my head pounds away. I don't dig that.

Why did I quit smoking? My denial of the dangers of smoking wore off. And yes, you can be in denial while having the knowledge of the dangers of smoking. The biggest problem was, learning how to deal with stress in a different ways, and developing different coping behaviors. No more "I had a bad day" and run out and smoke. What did I do to deal with stress? Some deep breathing exercises, and a ton of exercise! I spent more time playing music (guitar and most stringed instruments) as well. Spending half a day at the lake on a blanket reading a book.

You can quit smoking, don't give me this "I can't quit" bs. But convincing you to quit smoking is where the true challenge lies.

Remember, it takes the average smoker at least 5 attempts before they quit for good. Think of the money you can save, with rising cigarette pricess you can probably go on a cruise or two! Or invest it, or buy a nice toy, downpayment for a vehicle, etc etc etc.

Oh, and when you answer my questions, (whether posted or just answer them to yourself), answer them with an open mind, and not in anger defense or hostility.

victoreia · Feb 7, 2002

Hmmmm I smoke. I take two breaks each day and sometimes three and I make up for it. I work long hard hours, I skip lunch sometimes or eat in what seems like seconds, I do not preach to smokers or non smokers about what wierd, bad, or what ever habits they have. I never leave a busy unit or leave any other nurses without ample assist on a floor. However I like a break, rather it be to smoke or just to get a moment of peace to put myself and my problems , if I have any, into prespective. If a nurse feels I have "abandoned" her to go have a smoke I would hope she or he would be adult enough to tell me and maybe we could work out a better time or compremise somehow. Smokers get slack. I think nurses spend time on the phone for personel reasons then out side smoking. Don't we all get a "break" one way or another?? And shouldn't we all?? Hey, here is a suggestion for non-smokers who don't think they get a break..... take one!! Vicki RN

victoreia · Feb 7, 2002

Me again, Vicki RN. Not to be annoying , but if I am don't read this then. My hubby works on chimmneys and towers and things. Any way my point is a kodak camera company spews out more air pollution then if every person in that city smoked. I live near a oil company and peoples roofs are so black from the soot it deposits that it is disgusting. So many things are bad for us. How about all the nasty preservatives in foods to keep it "fresh". I could go on and on. Smoking is bad for me. That I know but so is stress that causes someone to have a heart attack. So is eating to many fatty fried foods that clog your arteries. So is McDonalds food, might not kill ya but sure doesn't do the body good.... on and on and on...

willie2001 · Feb 7, 2002

I guess I just don't understand the mentality of smoking. Why would an otherwise rational, intellegent person inhale toxic/carcinogenic chemicals in to their bodys? They know that it is detrimental to their health and the health of those around them. We recently admitted of 39 year old smoker with chest pain. She had a double CABG at age 37. She continues to smoke. Does she not care or is she in denial. I don't know and I certainly will never understand, especially since she has a 9 year old son who I am sure she would like to see growup. I don't buy the comeback that poor eating habits are just as bad as smoking. By eating poorly, you are only hurting yourself. The smoke you're blowing is hurting everyone around you.

mario_ragucci · Feb 7, 2002

I guess I don't understand the mentality of petroleum burners. They all know that sitting in a shiny metal and plastic box is bad for them, especially when they are in traffic and their adrenal glands are squirting because they fear being late, or just don't like being stuck in a situation that is completely out of their control. But they drive anyway. People are fat and over-fed, yet they still sit, day in and day out, in their huge SUV's and spew all kinds of substances in the air we breath. I hate to ride my bicycle in the rain because I see all the psychedelic swirls of petroleum dropped by the cars in the puddles and ask, "why don't they stop", "can't they see that all this pollution is destroying everything alive" Don't they know the smoke and burnt petroleum products are hurting everyone around them, especially me, because I am huffing and puffing O2 and CO2 mixed with all the toxic/carcinogenic chemicals in to my body. I don't know and I certainly will never understand how automobiles rule the lives of so many, while they have only been around for 60-70 years or so. If 50% of Americans said NO!, we are not gonna drive any more, we're not gonna buy any more cars or gasoline, we're gonna stop, I tell you, this world would be a better place. But, they are gonna drive anyway, despite all the evidence which shows how destructive automobile addiction is.

frann · Feb 7, 2002

I don't smoke. But, I don't care if you'll smokers do. Its you'lls choice. Everyone knows the risks, etc, etc. I know the risks of eating fatty foods and drinking, not exercizing, but I do them anyway.

Our hospital campus(don't know whoooooo thinks these things up), but will be smoke free in counting 17 weeks. We have a smoking area in back of hospital outside. So apparently this will be gone. and visitors won't be allowed to smoke outside. It just seems like some of these people in administration have way too much time on their hands and are so out of touch. Are they going to ban the fatty foods in the cafeteria? You should see the fatty fried stuff they have at night. Yuk!

The saddest case I remember happened a few years ago. I can remember it exactly. My dad had just died a few weeks before. I admitted a lady in her 60's? her only daughter was by her side. The womans husband had just died a few weeks ago from lung cancer r/t smoking. She was being admitted for pnuemonia. Had never really been in the hospital. Found out later she had mets to the brain r/t secondhand smoke. she died within the year. They were good people.

:o

JMP · Feb 7, 2002

Frann-

I am very impressed with your hospital, esp since you are in Virgina!

Maybe there is hope after all.

As a side note, I was in a critical care class this week and the lecture was pulmonary functioning. The teacher was going on and on about how, in some places, there are no 02 bars, where people can get hooked up to oxygen and "feel better". She was very concerned about it- since here, 02 is a drug.

My feeling, as long as we are selling cigarettes, who care's about the 02. I guess, worse case, a COPD'er smokes a few and then staggers into the 02 bar...........there goes his incentive to breathe!

Oh well, all kidding aside. Cigarettes kill people. It is a KNOWN CARCINOGEN...... no reasable thinking person can compare them to too many donuts, french fries or whatever else you can dream up.

PLEASE let's all face reality.........cigarettes kill.

Q. · Feb 7, 2002

Yes - JMP I agree.

I'd like to see the study about the correlation between automobiles and cancer.

radnurse2001 · Feb 8, 2002

frann-

facilities are getting big money to become smoke free. I am a smoker(and i don't care who knows it) I am a good nurse. I get 2 10 min breaks and a30 min lunch period. I don't like to be away from my job longer that 10 min. I take 5 10 min breaks. So sue me. I think everyone---smoker-nonsmoker deserves breaks. unfortunately the way heath care is going (shortage and all) noone is getting breaks.

Anne

willie2001 · Feb 8, 2002

Mario, we're talking individual habits here. Maybe one person can't do a whole lot about pollution of the environment as a whole, but they certainly can do something about polluting their own bodys with cigarette smoke. Unbelievable is right. Smokers will use anything in defense of their filthy habit. There is hard evidence that smoking causes cancer. Like someone said in the above post, show me the correlation between automobiles and cancer. Unbelievalbe!!