MY OPINION......

jsoed9582 · Nov 28, 2009

The issue here is not whether or not smoking is a right of an individual, rather how patients perceive a nurse who smokes. Let's take a patient who was just diagnosed with lung cancer and smokes 2 packs a day. Now, you have to give smoking cessation teaching to that patient. Do you think it looks good if the nurse giving the education goes in to the room with the smell of smoke on his/her hands? The issue hospitals have is with how patients will perceive the nurse. Smoking is a choice of someone, but a poor choice. Hospitals can make their property smoke-free. Is that a good idea? Who knows, but advocating positive choices is a good thing for a hospital. Why not let alcoholics drink on their break? Or why not going snort a line or smoke a joint? Those are all choices and rights too, correct? Well, maybe not the latter considering they are illegal, but you get the point. Smoking has adverse effects on someones health, why promote it?

P.S. I smoke too, but let us be open-minded and see things from the public and the hospitals perspectives.

Ayvah, RN · Nov 28, 2009

Just because an at-will facility decides not to hire smokers does not mean that your right to smoke has suddenly been taken away. You still have that choice and the right to smoke, just as that facility has the choice not to hire you. You lose a lot of credibility when you relate something as trivial as this to slavery and the holocost.

There are far more people this day and age with asthma and the smell of smoke can bother a lot of people, and as well can be a difficult reminder to those who are trying to quit. There is documented evidence on the negative effects of second hand smoke.

The argument that the air is bad anyway does not justify making it worse either! It is all the more reason for the opposite. You also relate the smell to poop and vomit - if you were a manager and someone had vomited on themselves you would not want them to continue working until they were cleaned up. Same thing if someone had very bad body odor, they would get talked to. Strong perfume is also something that more places are recognizing is detrimental.

Think about it, would you want to get up-and-close personal care from someone who had vomited on themselves?

sharpeimom · Nov 28, 2009

aside from the credibility with patients (and their family members) issue, how is it fair to those of us who have legitimate and well documented allergies to have to be cared for and work with someone who reeks of stale smoke? smoking doesn't make you a terrible person or a weak immoral one as some would have you believe, it's just that some of us have severe allergies and/or asthma which can lay us out flat, when we're exposed to smoke either by someone smoking near us or on the clothing, breath, or hair of a smoker. my parents were both heavy smokers and always thought that because they never smoked when i was in the room, that i was immune from the smell and tobacco's effects. wrong!

some people btich because they think it is pc, some because they (or their kids) have mild allergies, but there are some of us who really react violently to tobacco's effects. :eek: :barf02:

please don't flame me!

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

psalm, RN · Nov 28, 2009

One of the few reasons I carry an inhaler is for the smell of smoke, from cigarettes, cigars, pipes and wood burners. I can no longer enjoy bonfires or cookouts (I stay inside). The above are all triggers.

And I realize some people are affected by perfume, hairspray, other hair products, even the smell of soap. So we adjust to others.

Peace and love.

tiffjh2 · Nov 29, 2009

The issue here is not whether or not smoking is a right of an individual, rather how patients perceive a nurse who smokes. Let's take a patient who was just diagnosed with lung cancer and smokes 2 packs a day. Now, you have to give smoking cessation teaching to that patient. Do you think it looks good if the nurse giving the education goes in to the room with the smell of smoke on his/her hands? The issue hospitals have is with how patients will perceive the nurse. Smoking is a choice of someone, but a poor choice. Hospitals can make their property smoke-free. Is that a good idea? Who knows, but advocating positive choices is a good thing for a hospital. Why not let alcoholics drink on their break? Or why not going snort a line or smoke a joint? Those are all choices and rights too, correct? Well, maybe not the latter considering they are illegal, but you get the point. Smoking has adverse effects on someones health, why promote it?
P.S. I smoke too, but let us be open-minded and see things from the public and the hospitals perspectives.

sorry but street drugs and alcohol effect u in a different way then cigs do...and im pretty sure it someone has lung cancer they r going to have breathing problems so it most likely be a strong smell...and if a person works there to begin with and they don't know they smoke then they find out and fire them..that is discrimmination and thats against the law...and i will compare it to slavery and holocost becuz it all begin with these ppl have dark hair and dark eyes so we don't like them and these ppl have dark skin and we don't like them...well these ppl smoke so we dont like them...

tiffjh2 · Nov 29, 2009

sorry but street drugs and alcohol effect u in a different way then cigs do...and im pretty sure it someone has lung cancer they r going to have breathing problems so it most likely be a strong smell...and if a person works there to begin with and they don't know they smoke then they find out and fire them..that is discrimmination and thats against the law...and i will compare it to slavery and holocost becuz it all begin with these ppl have dark hair and dark eyes so we don't like them and these ppl have dark skin and we don't like them...well these ppl smoke so we dont like them...

and yeah i work at a smoke free facility but on my break if i want to leave and have a cig they don't have a problem with it...i don't care if the facility is smoke free thats not the point its when they fire someone for SMOKING!!!!

JohnnyTICU · Nov 29, 2009

My facility does not allow smoking at all on their property. There is no smoking allowed even in your car. This is a great thing. It has made a lot of people look at their smoking habits and make a positive change. Over 50% of the smokers have openly admited they gave up smoking and are living a more healthy life.

Congrats to people who take a situation like that and put to something good.

tiffjh2 · Nov 29, 2009

My facility does not allow smoking at all on their property. There is no smoking allowed even in your car. This is a great thing. It has made a lot of people look at their smoking habits and make a positive change. Over 50% of the smokers have openly admited they gave up smoking and are living a more healthy life.
Congrats to people who take a situation like that and put to something good.

Ive tried quitting a person that has never started doesn't realize how hard it actually is...my fiance was like can't u just quit...nope it's different for everyone...my step dad smoked 3 packs a day for 20 years and just quit cold turkey. One of my aunts has tried all the drugs to quit, cold turkey, everything and she still is smoking. One day they will hopefully make a wonder drug that has no side effects like thoughts of suicide..i smoke because of stress..and try to quit but when im in my car it reminds me of smoking...i even tried eating peppermints because I smoke menthol it didn't work very well...

elkpark · Nov 29, 2009

Is this another of your "experiments"??

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2009

were u smoking while u posted?

what makes me sick is when i see respiratory therapists, pulmonologists, (especially) and such smoking. i mean *** mate u know what happens to ppl who have lung disease, self induced or not. I guess u think CPAPs and Lung Transplants are sexy? idk.

there are other ways to deal with stress besides smoking, FYI.

Little_Mouse · Dec 5, 2009

Just curious, have you heard of e-cigarettes? I don't smoke or tried one of these, but I find them intriguing...

It at least spares everyone (including the smoker) from inhaling toxins.

http://www.smokelessdelite.com/aboutus.php

http://www.smokelesscigarettesreviewed.com/