Cleveland Clinic will not Hire Smokers

Awesome!

Good for the CC and those that work there - I have transferred in patients to that mecca facility only to have two of the RN's that helped with the transfer smell as if they had been in a smoky club.

I do not smoke.
I am extremely sensitive to the odor.
I cannot imagine being a patient trapped in the bed being "cared" for by folks who carry that odor in on their clothes, hair and breath. Ewww!

I cared for a 7 year old that after struggling with asthma for 6 hours in our ED was finally being intubated due to inability to recover acceptable respiratory status. The RN that had been caring for him, transferred him to me as it was in her mind a "resuscitation" and that was my role. Kiddo got intubated, sedated, paralyzed - awaiting flight MD for transfer to pedi tertiary care. Mom, dad and grandparents all came in after a little ciggy break and mom said:

"I've been smoking, that doesn't really bother him that much - does it?" (So she had been informed of the RAD, asthma and smoking connection...hmmmm)

I just no, "It won't matter at all now, because he didn't get any better otherwise and his ventilator doesn't mind if you smoke."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••


Also, I worked with one MD that cared for a toddler that had required intubation x 3 over 2 years (in that ED alone) and the MD actually reported the mom for abuse/neglect to CPS due to the fact that they smoked in the home. The baby reeked of Marlboros. BAD.


So,
Go CLEVELAND CLINIC!

... and let me be the first to mention, they should also be checking for healthy BMI's in that hiring screen.

Sorry, but being fat doesn't endanger patients! Smoking does. Our hospitals in our area are all going smoke-free July 4th and I'm glad.

What would stop employees from lying about their smoking habits until they get hired?

Yeah, I've yet to hear a report about second-hand excess weight.

The whole idea of not hiring smokers is an interesting concept. Wonder how long it wil be before someone raises a legal challenge. Based on the article, it doesn't seem like they will get too far. But since when has that stopped anyone.

It's easy to test for nicotine.

All of my co-workers smoke, right up to the DON. I don't frankly care except that there's a lot of break time when I'm alone on the unit.

One word....GESTAPO!!!!

by the way ...i am NOT a smoker.

Are they going to start telling people who drink alcohol they dont need to apply for work too?

Everyone targets smokers. What about alcohol?
If a nurse wants to have a drink AFTER her shift,,,,why shouldnt a Nurse be allowed to have a Cigarette after her shift?

Except that being fat doesn't make your patient gag the way stinking to high heaven does.

I didn't want to register, so I didn't get to read the whole article, but I do think the comment about it being a discriminatory practice was interesting. I wasn't aware that smokers are a protected class. God help us all the day they become one.