Do You take your patients out for smoke breaks?

OB_or_NICU_hopeful · Oct 4, 2006

At my LTC facility we have an MS patient who is no longer allowed to go out and smoke by himself. Any of you familiar with MS know that control is a huge issue with them, and having that last bit of control taken away has been very difficult for him, (and made life VERY difficult for us, when he is unhappy life is not good.). I do take him out to smoke, once a shift. I find it hard to do sometimes, I would rather not, it is hard to walk that line between professional and 2 people out for a smoke. I am a smoker, working on becoming a nonsmoker again, (I had gone three years without smoking, prenursing school, lol).
Because of his situation, going out to smoke is in his careplan. This makes it very difficult for me as a charge nurse when I have someone, (RN or CNA), who refuses to do it because of their personal beliefs. I am sorry, but if you have never been a smoker, than you cannot understand what it is like to go through that withdrawal. And to refuse to do something that is actually on a patients care plan, well that makes my job harder. This is such a hard subject. I dont know what I am going to do when my quit date comes, cuz it will be very difficult to take him out to smoke. Big sigh. The things we have to deal with as nurses. I just know that I can see both sides of this problem. How about the gov finally makes this lethal habit illegal? (Oh yeah, I forgot. they make waaay to much money on tobacco. silly me.)

I would think as a non-smoker it would be difficult to understand what he feels going through withdrawal, but also difficult to tolerate the smoke. I know I avoid second-hand smoke at all costs....it makes me feel like I'm suffocating. I can understand why they would refuse to subject themselves to someone elses deadly habit.

muffie, RN · Oct 4, 2006

No Way

studentally16 · Oct 17, 2006

:uhoh21: i think it depends on the patient and the hospital situation etc, i am a student and i have never taken a patient out for smoke breaks.:sofahider

In scotland now there is a smoking ban in all public places therefore patients are told to go to designated smoking areas outside.

However, i do believe that it is the patients own personal choice :smokin:We are there to give advice but in order to promote autonomy the patient has to make there own mind up whether to have a smoke break or not. I think the hospitals should have smoking rooms for patients who wish 2 smoke. Being in hospital is a stressful time for patients and smoke breaks could perhaps be something which destresses them, or calms them down which will in turn (depending on what they are in hospital for) proide them with some comfort while in hospital.

elizabeth321 · Oct 18, 2006

Not a chance.

Liz

Alexsys · Oct 19, 2006

Nope, never have and never will. Call me mean , but I dont smoke and I dont encourage it either (besides I work in ICU, my patients dont really ask) :smokin:

JenNJFLCA · Oct 20, 2006

I personally don't take them down, but if they are able to go by themselves, they go. Sometimes with doctors orders, sometimes without. I always explain our concerns about them going downstairs to smoke without doctors orders and DOCUMENT that. I have done my part, CMA, and in the end will have a much more pleasant patient. I am sure everyone here has been around people that can't smoke for long period of time. Whew, talk about verbally abusive...some have almost gotten physically aggressive on me. One guy decided to smoke in the bathroom after I told him not to go. With all the oxygen tanks around, plus the fact that it's a federal offense to smoke in the building, he got in A LOT of trouble.

I don't understand why people start smoking since they know the health risks, but I know it's a hard habit to kick once you start.

Rachel937LPN · Oct 31, 2006

Id take them with me when I wanted to smoke.

greatshakes · Nov 1, 2006

Kristy Brn

Thank you re the post about MS and your understanding. My husband who had MND died in July and having a smoke was his only pleasure. Luckily the staff at the nursing home cared enough to hold it for him. He could not move his arms. I too, would take a smoker out for a break if they needed it. I smoke myself but I have the Zyban ready in the cupboard for when I am ready to quit. We did quit actually for 4 1/2 years through hypnotism. We didn't even actually believe it would work. We were so pleased with ourselves. Then he got his diagnosis and with uni and all the other little events, we took it up again. Someday I'm going smokefree again and just not yet.

bewell · Nov 1, 2006

i have taken patients out for a smoke break. as of sept. 1, 2006 smoking is no longer allowed (not even in your car) by staff, patients, or visitors at the hospital where i work. this has been a HUGE adjustment period for many people. i think no smoking by staff is fine-for patients in hospital i'm not so sure. smoking is an addiction/habit/crutch-oftentimes it would be cruel not to allow someone to smoke (if able to leave room) while they are confined to hospital. plus, many times family members stay with patients, due to severity of situation,and they may need to smoke to cope with situation. it is a controversial issue.

RN(MH) · Nov 1, 2006

Hi

Certainly would take my patients out for a smoke break. Every place I have worked so far, however, have had rooms specifically for the patients to smoke in, and why not ? Working in Mental Health have found that it is necessary to allow the patients to smoke. Sometimes they may not be able to go outside (if they have been detained under the mental health act and are acutely unwell), so they can go in the smoking room on the ward. Once they are able to go out, would definately take them out. I have never worked with a nurse here that has refused to do this, even non smokers. The last thing patients need when they are unwell or suffering withdrawal symptoms is to be told they cannot have a smoke. It makes them agitated and sometimes agrressive. It can increase their paranoia and refusal to allow them to smoke does not aide their recovery.

We will soon face a ban on smoking in public places over here, which I disagree with, lets hope it doesnt affect the Mental Health units. There will be a lot of stressed out acutely unwell patients, and a lot of stressed out staff. If a person wants to smoke that is their choice.

There are worse things than smoking.

Alexsys · Nov 2, 2006

Sorry guys, most of my patients are on vents and/or oxygen.Smoking would just defeat that purpose. :nono: If I worked on a mental health or another kind of unit, then I may have a different answer depending on facility policy. If they are in the ICU, my goal is to take care of them as best as I can and smoking would not fit into that category. What patients do when they leave the ICU is beyond my control. No one on my unit is allowed to take a patient to smoke. So excuse me if I seem mean or heartless but that is just the way it is when it comes to critical care patients:twocents: At least at my facility

trilli18 · Nov 3, 2006

No, Not as a nursing student we are not allowed too