ER GN Quitting Smoking - Any tips?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello Allnurses!

I landed my dream job as a new grad (almost) nurse in a high volume ER at an amazing hospital :roflmao: As many hospitals do, I am required to have a nicotine metabolite blood test in 2 weeks. This post is not looking for insight about my stupidity for waiting to quit or about whether hospital nicotine testing is ethical. I decided to post about this because I am sure I am not the only nursing student/grad nurse/RN that has been in this situation and struggled. I am simply sharing my experience and looking to hear others experience/tips/words of encouragement.

Smokers tend to be viewed as second class citizens (from my personal experience) - and I get it. Smoking stinks (literally), gives you a crazy high risk of detrimental health issues, makes you age horribly, and on and on. Which is the reason I am completely embarrassed of my awful habit... most of my friends don't know that I smoke. I NEVER smoke around them and especially not before clinical or school.

I began social smoking at the young age of 15 - then up to about a pack per day at 20 years old. I'm now a few years short of 30. Before you judge me, let me tell you that picking up smoking was by far the most regrettable decision I've ever made. Unfortunately, I was a product of my environment. My childhood was not the best and I consider myself lucky to beat the odds and made it to where I am today. Not to say it's not my own dumb fault for giving into peer pressure or for not quitting sooner...

I know I'm an idiot for not quitting sooner. I knew from the get go that this day would come... addiction is a b*#%~ (pardon my French).

Not much in my life has ever come easy - whether it was from my own poor decision making, anxiety/depression issues, or struggling with ADHD. I know it is going to be difficult but I am incredibly determined to be an ER nurse. I have never been SO passionate about anything and know that the opportunity to be in my position is an incredibly lucky one - as finding a job as a new nurse is difficult in itself and ER is stupid competitive.

I am quitting smoking tomorrow as my set quit date. I have pretty fast metabolism and am planning to drink lots of water, eat lots of fruits/veggies in hopes of speeding up the process to rid my body of nicotine/continine. I am so scared that I will fail the test (again I understand it's nobody's fault but my own) and whether pass or fail I am committed to stay "clean" lol. I can't help but feel extremely anxious/terrified, yet excited to finally quit and live a life sans cigarettes.

How do you help your patients quit smoking? Or yourself/friends/family members? I am not a fan of nicotine replacement- it honestly did nothing for me in the past. Any success stories?

Thanks for reading and I hope you will share your thoughts below!

I smoked hardcore 2 packs a day for few years. I tried a couple of times to quit but was not successful. When I was still in nursing school, I decided to quit cold turkey. It is an addiction for a reason. It was difficult the first weeks - I had cravings for a cigarette for many many years after quitting.

But I really liked how my hands did not smell, that I felt free of the urge to go for a smoke, did not spend the money for cigarettes. It had always been the taste and smell that bothered me the most, even when I was smoking...

I grew up in Europe. Before they banned smoking in hospitals, they had "smoking lounges" on most floors. The hospital I did all my clinicals during nursing school has smoking lounges that were shared by staff and patients - there was no "staff only" smoking lol. So you would look for a patient who was known to be a smoker and open the door to the lounge - you sometimes had a hard time seeing the people in there because of the smoke! They stopped that somewhen in the 90's.. it was sort of a shared experience and funny enough - patients and nurses would sit next to each other during the break and just small talk.

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So I'm on day 3 no smoking! It hasn't been the easiest time ever but I'm going strong. I just wanted to give an update and thanks for all the support!! :)

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Day 5 no smoking! But I am having one problem... I cannot for the life of me get back to studying (for NCLEX, of all things) :(

Sounds ridiculous, I know, but I used to sit on my patio and study for hours on end. Now I have no clue how to study without smoking lol. Any tips?

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So I'm on day 3 no smoking! It hasn't been the easiest time ever but I'm going strong. I just wanted to give an update and thanks for all the support!! :)

That's amazing!! You're doing so well! Go you!

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I just wanted to pop in and see how you're doing!

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Specializes in Neuroscience.

Best of luck in quitting. You can do it!

I never understood the significance of nurses who smoke. Like any other person, we are human beings who make mistakes. Would I have started smoking as a teenager had I known the impact on health...and the fact I would become a nurse? No. We're not saints. It kills me that people feel we should be.

I bet Doctor's who smoke aren't given the same treatment. Honestly, I'd rather my doctor not go through withdrawl before doing a surgical procedure. But I digress, we are nurses. Therefore we are the proverbial saints.

ugh.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

Have you considered switching to vaping? You can taper your nicotine addiction that way by switching to lower and lower strength juice. I used to smoke 25 years ago and quit cold turkey. I took up vaping 2 years ago because I liked it but I use the lowest level nicotine they have. A cigarette is 18mg of nicotine. You can buy vape juice that goes from 18 all the way to 0mg. That way each week / bottle you can taper down to zero and cure your addiction that way. You still have the physical habit aspect but wean yourself off the nicotine and then once you've done that you can stop vaping if you so choose without any withdrawal. Plus they have really cool appliances and awesome juices. I use a sub-zero extra strong menthol and I love it.

Plus....you don't stink and it's cheaper

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Have you considered switching to vaping? You can taper your nicotine addiction that way by switching to lower and lower strength juice. I used to smoke 25 years ago and quit cold turkey. I took up vaping 2 years ago because I liked it but I use the lowest level nicotine they have. A cigarette is 18mg of nicotine. You can buy vape juice that goes from 18 all the way to 0mg. That way each week / bottle you can taper down to zero and cure your addiction that way. You still have the physical habit aspect but wean yourself off the nicotine and then once you've done that you can stop vaping if you so choose without any withdrawal. Plus they have really cool appliances and awesome juices. I use a sub-zero extra strong menthol and I love it.

Plus....you don't stink and it's cheaper

The whole reason OP was trying to quit was for a job that tested for nicotine. Vaping would defeat the purpose.

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I quit a 25 year habit of 1 & 1/2 packs a day. I had an individual hypnosis session, using headphones to focus the suggestion and eye wear that blocked out all light. It worked like a charm.

Best of luck,let us know how you are doing.

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The whole reason OP was trying to quit was for a job that tested for nicotine. Vaping would defeat the purpose.

Vaping the 0% nicotine juice is an excellent idea! It would help with the hand to mouth addiction, she would not be ingesting nicotine.

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

Don't take up vaping if you stopped smoking.

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Specializes in ER/SICU/House Float.

I smoked from age 15 to 25. When I smoked it was still acceptable. We smoked at nursing school, at the hospital and all that jazz. I quit cause I had a 2 yo that kept trying to put the smoke-out in my mouth LOL. He worried mommies mouth was on fire. So haven't had a cig since 1995. sadly my son that I quit for decided being young and cool meant cigs. He started and I stayed on his ass to quit. He quit for awhile then started vaping. I'm on him to quit that too. He is almost 24 so I told him he has to quit by age 25. I quit for him and I want him to quit for me.

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