Can you believe this?

Nurses General Nursing

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I understand the push for "customer satisfaction" but I think that the following situation is taking it too far. A few days ago we had a patient on the floor who was in constant pain. She had MS PCA, Ativan, Phenegran for her pain/anxiety/nausea. The doctor had ordered a bed alert put on her because she was so unsteady from this pain and the pain meds. Well, she was with it enough to insist on going outside to have a cigarette. We explained that #1 she would have to go out in a wheel chair and that no one could take her out at this time, we were all busy (imagine that). #2 she was a huge fall risk and couldn't hardly stand up without tipping to one side, so we didn't think that she was up to the trip #3 she had a MS PCA, which we don't really allow to just freely float outside of the building #4 her doctor DID NOT want her to leave. We babied her, gave her all the meds she could have, bent over backward to try to please her. But, she was adamant and we called the house supervisior to take care of the situation. Well, house went in to talk with patient. SHe comes out and says that one of us needs to stop taking care of the patients and take this woman out to smoke. NO surprise to anyone I'll bet. But, the story gets more interesting when we find out that the patient doesn't even have any cigarettes. So, the house supervisior buys some from a staff member. BUT, the patient wouldn't accept them because they weren't menthol. So, house calls everyone in the hospital that she knows smokes to find menthol cigarettes to buy. I was so mad that I couldn't even speak, except to say "we appreciate the support :uhoh3: ) Her response was that this woman might write a letter to the editor or something. Isn't there a line between patient rights and doctor/nurses orders/knowledge? I guess now we have to give the patient whatever they want and we have to reinforce their bad habits/behavior. UUGH!

2nd hand smoke also kills. so let me get this straight. the super asks the nurse to drop everything to take the pt. down to smoke. the nurse puts her license at risk, puts her work behind and also her health at risk. who in their right mind would do it? if there are 5 nurses on the floor and one house super then the "power" is with the nurses. all 5 should refuse. do you really think the house super will send all 5 home? even if she writes everyone up how do you think s/he will look...silly.

imo.

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2nd hand smoke also kills. so let me get this straight. the super asks the nurse to drop everything to take the pt. down to smoke. the nurse puts her license at risk, puts her work behind and also her health at risk. who in their right mind would do it? if there are 5 nurses on the floor and one house super then the "power" is with the nurses. all 5 should refuse. do you really think the house super will send all 5 home? even if she writes everyone up how do you think s/he will look...silly.

imo.

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In my critical care area, if the patient is well enough to demand to smoke, they are well enough to be transferred OUT pf ICU. Now I strive to obtain a Nicoderm patch or sedation for my critically ill smokers...I don't want them to stress excessively while having an MI, etc. BUT...I'll be darned if I'm going to be pushed to take them outside to smoke!!

I feel sorry for LTC nurses who are told the patients have a right to smoke....what about the nurse who has the right to a healthy environment free of smoke?? I cannot stand being next to a smoker even out in the air...it aggravates my mildly reactive asthmatic airway. Probably from decades of being in smoke filled hospitals, rooms, and report areas due to chain smoking patients, visitors AND staff.

I remember when the doctors smoked while making rounds and nurses could smoke too...but only in the break room (which doubled as report room...cough cough gag) :(

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Bring back the labotomy! for your super and the patient! Sheesh! What a marooon! I wonder if the patient ever smoked before if she thought it was a good idea to start now?

Smoking, as we all know, makes you look cool.

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Allowing patients to leave the unit to smoke is going too far. With the increase in acuity of patients admitted to the hospital it seems to me that this is contrary to our mission and goal. What about the physician? Why doesn't he/she have the moxy to tell the patient that they are just too ill to leave the unit and participate in something that will slow recovery and contribute to their eventual demise? If they are in that amount of pain requiring MS PCA, I dont' see the need to leave. Maybe they should stop the MS PCA for the time they want to leave the unit? Furthermore, I'm sure that patient wouldn't want to hear that the PCA couldn't be refilled right away because the nurse was out of the unit taking a patient on a smoke break and would be back in 30 minutes...

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I wouldn't have taken that patient out for the smoke. If they can't go out safely they can't go. The ward needs to be monitored. If you take some one out once when they demand it they will expect to go every time they feel like it. I prefer to weather the storm once and have it established that going out with me is not an option. I've been a nurse too long to buy into "customer satisfaction". The heath and safety of my patients is my job. Sometimes telling someone no is the most therapeutic option.

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I understand the push for "customer satisfaction" but I think that the following situation is taking it too far. A few days ago we had a patient on the floor who was in constant pain. She had MS PCA, Ativan, Phenegran for her pain/anxiety/nausea. The doctor had ordered a bed alert put on her because she was so unsteady from this pain and the pain meds. Well, she was with it enough to insist on going outside to have a cigarette. We explained that #1 she would have to go out in a wheel chair and that no one could take her out at this time, we were all busy (imagine that). #2 she was a huge fall risk and couldn't hardly stand up without tipping to one side, so we didn't think that she was up to the trip #3 she had a MS PCA, which we don't really allow to just freely float outside of the building #4 her doctor DID NOT want her to leave. We babied her, gave her all the meds she could have, bent over backward to try to please her. But, she was adamant and we called the house supervisior to take care of the situation. Well, house went in to talk with patient. SHe comes out and says that one of us needs to stop taking care of the patients and take this woman out to smoke. NO surprise to anyone I'll bet. But, the story gets more interesting when we find out that the patient doesn't even have any cigarettes. So, the house supervisior buys some from a staff member. BUT, the patient wouldn't accept them because they weren't menthol. So, house calls everyone in the hospital that she knows smokes to find menthol cigarettes to buy. I was so mad that I couldn't even speak, except to say "we appreciate the support :uhoh3: ) Her response was that this woman might write a letter to the editor or something. Isn't there a line between patient rights and doctor/nurses orders/knowledge? I guess now we have to give the patient whatever they want and we have to reinforce their bad habits/behavior. UUGH!

Sounds as if your sup is trying to earn brownie points in hopes of moving up the ladder to the pumps n pearls girls team! BLECCHH! A few more moves like this and she'll have it bagged!:angryfire

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Sounds as if your sup is trying to earn brownie points in hopes of moving up the ladder to the pumps n pearls girls team! BLECCHH! A few more moves like this and she'll have it bagged!:angryfire

Oh boy you said it Trauma-tizedRN....LOL!! :rotfl:

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2nd hand smoke also kills. so let me get this straight. the super asks the nurse to drop everything to take the pt. down to smoke. the nurse puts her license at risk, puts her work behind and also her health at risk. who in their right mind would do it? if there are 5 nurses on the floor and one house super then the "power" is with the nurses. all 5 should refuse. do you really think the house super will send all 5 home? even if she writes everyone up how do you think s/he will look...silly.

Good point. MY former PCU unit finally insituted a policy form with a signature for patients to sign on admission. If they smoked, it was theirs and their family's responsibility, the staff would NOT acompany to smoke. We WOULD be happy to arrange for Nicoderm and possibly Xanax during their stay.

Course we would always have the few who refused to sign and made a stink. Generally there was a CNA on duty who didn't mind taking an extra smoke break herself with a patient if family wasn't available to accompany,but this was never required. Sometimes its easier to calm down an irate smoker and gain cooperation by allowing a cig than arguing with him.

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