Hospital will not hire smokers

Nurses Professionalism

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Specializes in ICU.

Everywhere I have ever applied doesn't hire smokers, so that doesn't seem new to me. I only graduated last year, though. ;)

All of the places I've done drug tests test for the presence of nicotine, too, so you have to be smoke free for a bit before you pee in that cup.

Everywhere I have ever applied doesn't hire smokers, so that doesn't seem new to me. I only graduated last year, though. ;)

All of the places I've done drug tests test for the presence of nicotine, too, so you have to be smoke free for a bit before you pee in that cup.

This is definitely new to me, apparantly this will be the first hospital in MD that will do this. I just believe what people do in their private homes shouldn't matter. What is next, no hiring nurses with a BMI higher than 29???

Specializes in ICU.
This is definitely new to me, apparantly this will be the first hospital in MD that will do this. I just believe what people do in their private homes shouldn't matter. What is next, no hiring nurses with a BMI higher than 29???

A BMI of 29 isn't going to set off anybody's allergies. The group of nurses that just went outside and smoked and have that smell lingering all over their scrubs, well, that's a different story. Let's face it, most people who smoke don't go 12 hours without smoking. They go outside and take smoke breaks. Even people who do avoid smoking during their shifts, but smoke in their homes, are still going to reek of cigarette smoke.

A BMI of 29 isn't going to set off anybody's allergies. The group of nurses that just went outside and smoked and have that smell lingering all over their scrubs, well, that's a different story. Let's face it, most people who smoke don't go 12 hours without smoking. They go outside and take smoke breaks. Even people who do avoid smoking during their shifts, but smoke in their homes, are still going to reek of cigarette smoke.

Great points, and I do agree with you. Do you think it is possible for a nurse to smoke and not smell of smoke? I've ran into some nurses who were pretty good with hiding the smell and others not so much. According to this article, employees who already work at the hospital will still have their jobs, do you think they should be fired too? What is the point of having this new policy if there are still smokers at the facility, that will "find new places to smoke" and that will still reek of smoke.

Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

While most Chicago hospitals have smoke free campuses, I don't know any that make tobacco free a condition of employment.

The article states their test can differentiate between a patch and a cigarette, but I wonder how vaping would factor in.

Switching from smokes to a patch and drinking lots of water upon application could help, but then you'd still be faced with never ever having smokey hair or clothes for as long as you worked there.

Might be be a good incentive to quit though!

Specializes in ICU.
Great points, and I do agree with you. Do you think it is possible for a nurse to smoke and not smell of smoke? I've ran into some nurses who were pretty good with hiding the smell and others not so much. According to this article, employees who already work at the hospital will still have their jobs, do you think they should be fired too? What is the point of having this new policy if there are still smokers at the facility, that will "find new places to smoke" and that will still reek of smoke.

I honestly don't think it's possible to hide the smell. I think smokers think they can, though. ;)

I have a real sensitivity to cigarette smoke so I'm biased. Last time I got on the elevator with a group of people who had been smoking, I had a migraine-quality headache for hours afterwards. I am just thinking that if I, an otherwise healthy young person, can be that bothered by cigarette smoke, how much more harmed could an already nauseated patient be when his/her nurse smells that way? Someone who already has a lot going on doesn't need to get even worse because of exposure to smoke.

I don't think pre-existing smokers should be fired. I'm not really sure what to do about them. Even with the drug screens, some people will just quit smoking for a few days, pass the screen, and start again. I think if anyone decided to fire all the smokers, it would only be fair to fire everyone who wears perfume, too, and then the hospitals would have a real staffing problem.

What if you live with a smoker? Surely that doesn't count, right?

Specializes in ER.

It's standard in my area and nurses are drug tested for nicotine. It's a separate test. I think physicians are the only ones not drug tested and that's because they are hired through an outside company.

Do I think it's right? No. Do I think it's fair? No. Do I think it's legal? Yes. Do I think it's standard? Yes.

Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

I'm not, nor have I ever been a smoker. I think it's gross and icky and makes you smell awful.

That said, I think that as long as break times are the same for everyone (smokers and non), what the smokers do on that time is up to them. I've worked at too many places where smoking = hourly 10 minute breaks to go get a fix. If they can just smoke on their two allotted breaks and lunch - I'm all for it. Don't see that happening too often, tho. :( And if you are the type who only smokes at home, geeze - I can't possibly see how that would affect your work.

So what if a smoker wants to wear a nicotine patch all day, then smoke in the privacy of their own home on their days off? I understand that hospitals want to hire healthier employees. Sets a good example, lowers the hospitals insurance premiums. But is it fair to only pick on smokers? What about people that drink alcohol or eat an unhealthy diet? In order to be a nurse or even a hospital employee, we will be expected to be "perfect." That's just insane, to me anyway.

Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Yay! Nurses and other employees won't smell like cigarettes ?

That is awesome!! ;)

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