can of worms-smoking

[cokie]

do smokers really take more breaks. maybe this should be a poll. seems to me that it is not really more breaks, just more smokes. i.e., when someone has to be walked out to the car, stop afterward and have a smoke. when something has to be walked down to the lab, stop afterward and have a smoke. i know that not all smokers do this, but some will make impressions for all. i know that we are all supposed to take our 15's, but on pm shift, most of us only take our dinner. smokers that i know on both of my jobs HAVE to take their 15's. everyone seems to understand this need. interested in opinions from both sides of the issue, and maybe a few x smokers can log in.

[stella123 rn]

Don't you hate those nurse's who say "I do not take my breaks", and then make you feel guilty for wanting to sit down sometime in a 13 hour shift? We have a couple of those.

[essarge]

Wow!! What a thread!

First, let me state that I am a smoker. I work full time and am in school full time.

While at work, I get ALL of my duties done prior to going out for a break. I work 3p-11p and usually have everything done except for 8p VS and I&Os done before 7p. That being said (and I am NOT flaming anyone for this), there are several people that I work with that are on the phone, on another unit, browsing the gift shop etc and don't finish their assigned duties until about 5 minutes before the next shift (sometimes later). Then they stay to socialize with the next shift and clock out after that (allowing them extra time on the clock).

I am also a student and, being an adult, when I feel the "urge", I quietly leave the lecture area and have a quick one. I do not disrupt the class by stating that I need a smoke break.

For the people that consider themselves "great employees" because they do not smoke and feel that smokers take too many breaks.....please look in your own back yard for clean up before coming into mine. I respect EVERYONE because I am a mature adult not a kid who is jealous because someone else gets to play more than I do!

[grneyes676]

I am a smoker, and Todd, I agree....if I was not, I would still take my breaks one way or another!! I work 7p-7a and there are people that put there head down for 15 or 20 minutes, that is their break, if they cover my patients while I leave the floor to smoke, I will cover there pt's while they put there head down....

I go out 3 times in 12 hours, I dont think that is to many (approx 30 minutes total).

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I'm an ex-smoker (quit almost 13 years ago). It's been my experience that SOME smokers DO take more and/or longer breaks, wherever I've worked. It's also been my experience that some NON-smokers take 45-minute lunches, talk to their boyfriends/husbands/kids etc. on the phone when call lights are on all over the building, or hang out in a patient's room for an hour watching a soap opera ("well, they didn't get their bath this morning", "I had to do their wound care" & so on). And then you have the martyrs who refuse to take breaks, and then self-righteously snipe at everyone else for taking theirs.

I agree with those posters who said something along the lines of "let those who are without sin cast the first stone". Every single one of us has at least one habit at work that annoys somebody else. But it seems to me that if we spent more time working WITH one another than picking each other apart, more would get done, and we might lose this reputation we have for chewing people up and spitting them out. JMHO.

[jude11142]

Originally posted by Jen2

I am a phleb currently and it is not in my job descirption to take a pt. to the bathroom. My timed draws are drawn on time and the floors page me for stats. I am not talking about flipping through a mag or chatting. It is when an employee is on the phone or sitting in the lounge watching TV that I'm talking about that is no different. I say this because I have been told that I was rude for trying to tell somone who was on the phone (after 40 minutes of talk about how the new puppy was) for telling them that the ER was calling because they did not answer their page. This is just my experiences. My point is that smokers and non-smokers alike are guilty of this. It all has to deal with personal work ethics and no one cares about any of it as long as their job is done.

Well said Jen!

As for smokers taking more breaks/longer breaks etc.....that's not true for all smokers. When I worked in the OR, there were several nurses(non-smokers)who I would relieve for lunch/break and talk about abusing time, they would either get on the phone between rms or start talking to somebody for up to 15 minutes, and then start their "lunch/break". Did those first 15 min not count??

I think that this is a question of ones work ethics and ones respect for their coworkers. As for non-smokers being "a better employee".......No Way!!! That's all I am going to say about that comment, not gonna go there.

Please don't put all smokers into one catagory. I think that most have respect for non-smokers and do not abuse break time. Wish that I could say the same for others.

JUDE

[jude11142]

originally posted by essarge

wow!! what a thread!

first, let me state that i am a smoker. i work full time and am in school full time.

while at work, i get all of my duties done prior to going out for a break. i work 3p-11p and usually have everything done except for 8p vs and i&os done before 7p. that being said (and i am not flaming anyone for this), there are several people that i work with that are on the phone, on another unit, browsing the gift shop etc and don't finish their assigned duties until about 5 minutes before the next shift (sometimes later). then they stay to socialize with the next shift and clock out after that (allowing them extra time on the clock).

i am also a student and, being an adult, when i feel the "urge", i quietly leave the lecture area and have a quick one. i do not disrupt the class by stating that i need a smoke break.

for the people that consider themselves "great employees" because they do not smoke and feel that smokers take too many breaks.....please look in your own back yard for clean up before coming into mine. i respect everyone because i am a mature adult not a kid who is jealous because someone else gets to play more than i do!

i couldn't of said it better. yep, i have coworkers who waste time doing the things you have posted. and usually they are the ones who are always nagging about "those smokers"......and the ones that say, "i don't take any breaks"......oh no?? what do you call the 45 min that you spent at the desk, on the phone, and eating a sandwich??? lol.....

jude

[KLS]

I agree here also:

some smokers use their break time to have a cigarette, big deal, their choice, their right

non-smokers use their break time however they please, big deal, their choice, their right

I dont have a problem with either.

what about the co-workers who are on a break for most of their shift.. read: get next to nothing done

I'd rather have my co-workers run out for a cigarette break a few times a shift than those who sit around and do nothing, never leave the building, but get less done than those who have had 3 or 4 cigarette breaks--really now--it's all relative isn't it?...because someone smokes has zero to do with their ethics as a nurse

[acuteobrn]

Must appologize to Todd, didn't realize the "tounge in check" comment. It just steams me that there are those who think that being a non-smoker makes them better somehow!

Used to work as a tech on a small unit, sometimes there where no patients just 5 RNs, and me to hang around waiting for a pt. Well, I still had stuff to do, check rooms, stock, put away overstock, clean up after the last shift of RNs/Techs who left coffee cups, newspapers and magazines around, not to mention their dinners. Well there were some RNs who had the nerve to question me as to why after I just worked for 2 hourse doing my nightly assignment, when I would leave for a "weather check" COME ON! Then when we would get a pt. They would look at me like I am crazy for leaving the floor, while they worked, after their 2-3 hour break getting paid far more than me at that time.

Nothing inferiorates me more than a hypocrite.

I tend not to take too many breaks, not a martyr game, but if I have things to do w/ my pt. I do them. If I don't get a break, but catch up on charting instead, well that's my choice. However, If there is nothing going on, well guess what, I am going to check out the weather...

I agree w/ whoever said it:

GOSSIP IS THE NUMBER #1 TIME WASTING/ADDICTIVE PROBLEM IN NURSING

I am proud to say that my only addiction is smoking.

[lisaloulou]

Im wondering if Wall St brokers, CEOs, bank presidents and other members of the professional set spend a lot of time writing complaint letters regarding other professional's smoke breaks, potty breaks etc. Or, do they as professional adults understand what their duties and responsibilities are, and take care of them? While nursing will always be unique in that we care for other human beings for a living, I hope that someday an element of mutual respect will creep into our own practices. Personally, I feel that carping about who takes what break is wasting time in itself.If I happen to be efficient and get tasks done quickly or if it just happens to be a less hectic day than usual, I take a break as time allows. If all heck has broken loose, not only do I not take a break, I may not even take time to rehydrate,nourish or eliminate. I can be the judge of whether it is appropriate at any given time to "be excused" for a few minutes. What's the big deal if Im a smoker or just a person on diuretics? Harping, carping, sniping, griping and playing victim have no place in nursing.

[debralynn]

I have a bone to pick with Gomer!

First I do not smoke, but my co workers who do, take ALOT more breaks, and it does peeve me off when they are on their upteen smoke break, and its one of their patients that need something, who do you think has to take care of it?

Now for Gomer:

I am overweight, but I can run CIRCLES around most who are not. Never has my weight affected my job performance. Yeah, my feet might hurt alot more than someone who is smaller, but I am very fast and very energetic!

[bettyboop]

some of the hospitals in UK tried to ban staff smoking, mine has a policy of one smoke room about 10 min walk from were i work, yes i am a smoker and i actually take less time than those who go for breaks in fact other staff members like us smokers because we don't have our hour break at once. Lots of people abuse break time etc not only smokers my suggestion don't let the smokers or anyone else abuse your good nature. It is also asumed when i am on duty with only one aux that if they don't releive me for smoke breaks i will go nuts!!!! i work perminant nights and only yesterday the night practitioner came to the unit asking if i was on all night or finishing at 0100 because she would come up and relieve me? but my coworker was never relieved all night? or even given the option. How about that for discimination against non-smokers?

[RN~in~CT]

I am a reformed smoker ~ quit 6 years ago. I must be honest and say that I did in fact take breaks when I smoked....that of course does NOT mean that my work was not done. I would simply take a break b/w tasks, when things were at a lull.

As a non-smoker, I never take a break....Just dont think of it, I suppose. Perhaps I should now take a "fresh air break" vs a smoke break! :chuckle