Smoking

akcarmean, LPN · Feb 29, 2008

in il. where i moved from they made the entire facility and grounds smoke free

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 29, 2008

It's the opposite where I work, patients and families blantently ignore the "we are proud to be a non-smoking facility, please do not smoke" and smoke in front of the sign, while staff are not allowed to smoke on campus.

But to answer your question, no staff should not be allowed to smoke on campus when patients aren't allowed to.

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Feb 29, 2008

Our campus is entirely smoke free with large signs stating such at every entrance. Since we are "smoke free" we have no ash trays, that means at every entrance there is a lovely scattering of cigarette butts. People (not staff/but visitors) do not even try to hide that they are smoking, they just sit right on the welcome benches outside and puff away. Now allegedly it has not happened yet, but staff is supposedly given no wiggle room on smoking, if your caught smoking on the property you will be terminated.

Then again, makes me wonder???? caught by who??? as they dont have video cameras, so unless it was upper mgmt them selves that caught you, it would be your word against theirs.

What a way to get fired...cause of smoking. :smokin:

Trauma Columnist · Feb 29, 2008

I too live in IL and we are a smoke-free state! The hospitals mandate that employees go completely off campus to smoke - can't even smoke in the parking decks! So...here it is 10 degrees and snowing and the employees are on the freeway overpasses smoking!!! Talk about dedication.

The pts sign a paper when they go to the hospital and they know its non-smoking. It helps that it is a statewide law.

TazziRN, RN · Feb 29, 2008

One hospital where I worked is completely smoke-free. Pts who smoke are prescribed the patch while in house if they need it, but they do not smoke because they can't go off campus to do so. The other place has a designated smoking area where both staff and ambulatory pts are allowed to go, but pts who cannot get there often go outside the ER and smoke in the ambulance bay. Staff who work on that side of the building do that also when admin is gone.

Sippy · Feb 29, 2008

Our hospital became a smoke-free campus two years ago. The signs definately do not impress our patients or their visitors. It's not uncommon to see a mother who's recently delivered, standing right outside the door in her gown having a butt. Even worse, we have CNA's who take frequent butt breaks out in their car, come back in reeking of smoke and take care of sick people AND NEWBORNS! I don't think people should be allowed to smoke during duty hours period and I don't know why management doesn't do something to enforce their own policy.

Before I get flamed, know that I smoked for 30 years, still want one every second of every day (but I'm glad I quit). I cannot imagine being sick and having to smell that nastiness, or picking up my baby and smelling it on him/her, so I never smoked while at work. That's just consideration.

Sippy

Munchkin315 · Feb 29, 2008

I'm still a pre-nursing student but one of my best friends spendsa lot of time at the Vets hospital in my area(he is an Iraq war vet fighting brian cancer) and they actually have a smoke house on thier campus, but that is the only place paitents can smoke. If anyone is caught smoking somewhere else they are escorted of of the property and not allowed to return(visitors) or not allowed to leave their ward (pts)

Bella36RN · Feb 29, 2008

I dont smoke but our hospital has a "butt hut" that is so many feet away from the hospital and is the ONLY place where you can smoke at the hospital. Patients even have to go out there if they want to smoke. I dont think personally that nurses should smoke because people dont need that smell around them. I am not saying that everyone smells like smoke that does smoke but some do. I think nurses should just make a conscious effort to take more care of themselves.

wearingmanyhats, RN · Feb 29, 2008

I realize that this is a true addiction..... but as an ASTHMATIC..... I DO NOT WANT you anywhere me if you smell even the least bit like smoke. It WILL SET ME OFF ON AN ASTMA ATTACK!!!!

I believe that all health facilities should be smoke free.... the ENTIRE campus. That includes sitting in your car..... trust me, you smell like smoke when you come in the door......

As nurses, I believe that we should try to set an example.... it does not give our patients much to strive for, if we are overweight, don't take care of our health and avoid exercise.....

JMHO

Faye

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Feb 29, 2008

the facilities I have worked for our smoke free for both pts and staff. that being said, you regularly see pts and family smoking on grounds, they don't have a job on the line like an employee would if they got caught

angelwingsamy · Mar 1, 2008

the hospitals all around me are smoke free too. including in your own car. and what i see is people still smoking but across the street from the hospitals in the yards of neighboring houses. the fences to those houses say smokers not welcome and people do anyways.

my brother had his first baby last august. we were at the hospital waiting for the NEVERENDING 26 hour labor. he was a nervous wreck. he is a smoker. i am not. (quit 8+ months ago yaaaaaay! lol) anyways. he was in my car smoking and i was talking to my sister in law standing behind my car. long story short we were told to leave by the security guard for smoking. my brother was permitted to go back inside to see his daughter be born. and the rest of us were told to leave. i refused because like i said i AM a nonsmoker. they called the cops and the cops said we had to leave cuz policy is policy. i went home and called the nurse in charge of my sister in law and explained the story and we were welcome back since we were not smoking in the first place.

my whole point in the story is why have the policy if you dont follow it? i see every job title there is smoking at all the hospitals that i have done clinicals at and patients, family, and friends. if everyone is gonna do it anyways why try and stop it? it seems like around me people DO listen and go across the street in most cases but then they are disturbing the neighbors. it seems like more of an issue to stop the smoking then to allow it in some areas.

which one of you wants to tell the "tough guy" he cant smoke when he is losing his mother, wife, sister, or daughter? NOT ME. lol