Does your unit give free cigarettes to patients who dont have any (and are allowed supervised smoking breaks)?
I was on a psych unit today and was rather surprised that they have a "designated patient carton".
I asked them if, as nurses, it bothered them to give patients free cigarettes (i obviously didn't have to tell them the health dangers, etc.), and they seemed surprised by my question, saying that patients were less anxious if they knew they had access to cigarettes.
I can understand how in a high acuity psych ward it would be good to keep the patients less anxious about their nicotine cravings so they an focus on solving more pressing issues,but I feel there is a better way of doing it (patch maybe?)..hmmm...what do you think?
And should a patient be stopped from going outside and drinking a beer? We are not prision gaurds and this is not a prision; we are nurses and this is a hospital where people have rights. I had a nursing instructor tell me that she had a patient go out side when a friend came and shot him up with heroin. We asked her if she was mad or if the guy was in trouble and she said, "I just told him he was not allowed to shoot up through his I.V. line. Is denying a overweight person salt going to do them any good for the three days they are in the hospital? Not likely that it is going to make them stop eating salt when they go home too....
Just a little off subject, but at our rehab center, they actually push and prefer patients to be centered on coffee and nicotine consumption, to keep them from craving alcohol, and drugs. Sort of trading one for another. If patients find out that cigs, are being supplied for some, why would any bother to buy their own. Also, even on psych units, I have given a beer at 8pm, or a glass of wine with dinner, or a bourban at night. DOCTORS ORDERs.
With so many institutions, or,as in our case, towns, becoming smoke free, although it is legal, it will soon be something you can do on your own property only,and only if it so far from a government, city building, hospital, property. Even the bars here were forced to to smoke free 07-01-07. BUT clubs, like Moose, Shrine, (NON PROFIT) can still smoke. Our laws even say within so any feet of parks, schools, etc. Hospitals are parking lots, and all buildings, Wonder what they are doing with the smoke shack?
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miss arron
156 Posts
every psych ward i've been to (as a visitor) has only offered the patch to patiends, no cigs allowed