Smoking ban

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 30, 2004

sometimes smokers i think really don't realize that to others who aren't used to the smell it can really wreak havoc with allergies, colds and in my case during pregnancy my stomach. .

It probably has something to do with the decreased sense of smell that has been proven to happen in smokers.

Gomer · Mar 31, 2004

Well Gomer . . .I guess I'd better get out the measuring tape because that bench outside the ER doors with the smokers on it sure isn't 24 feet from the entrance.
steph from California :)

Well, hopefully JCAHO wont be visiting there soon. During a JCAHO survey last year one of our local hospitals had their EVS department circulating the hospital grounds in search of cig. butts. Smoking is a big NO-No for JCAHO inside or outside of any hospital they survey.

WickedRedRN, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2004

Well, I will add my 2 cents on this issue. I am an ex-smoker, quit cold turkey on New Years Day 2 years ago. I have to say, after 2 years, my sense of smell is much better! We have a smoking area where I work, located in the back recieving area of the bldg. One of my co workers smokes and every time she comes back in, the smell is unreal! Its something I do NOT miss about smoking. At school, we have signs posted, no smoking within 50 ft of bld, but there are always people under the awning, especially when it snows or rains. Not very pleasant to walk through, and my daughter tells me I am stinky sometimes!

Dialyzin' Dar · Mar 31, 2004

We asked our nurses at dialysis not to smoke in front of the front door where patients come in, which they stopped doing-- but they still smell like smoke when they come in from break. When a nurse just back from a smoke break is putting your dialysis needles in, there's no way you can't smell the smoke. For the new patients, that's enough to make them vomit-- literally!

NannaNurse · Apr 4, 2004

Hey all, thanks so much for all the responses. This ban goes into effect starting in November and 'mass' walkouts are already being planned.....I do agree with the 'smell' thing.....I'm a former smoker, but when I smell smoke, I just want to puke!

kids · Apr 4, 2004

Our community hospital went nonsmoking a couple of years ago.

After several months of legal wrangling it was found they could not legally ban smoking in cars or the un-covered parking areas. It had something to do with many or the "lanes" in the parking losts actually being city owned streets (the hospital has grown into a complex criss-crossed by city streets that appear to be part of the parking lots). So if someone is smoking on the sidewalk security tells then to step off onto the black top.

I don't remember where I saw it (will have to google it up). Somewhere it was determined that employers could not prohibit smoking in (private) vehicles even though they were parked in the employers parking lots, it had something to do with smoking in public (open air) areas not being banned in that community and the parking lot, while privately owned unrestricted public access.

I am (at least for 15 more days) a smoker. Personally I make my decisions on which employer I will work for and which hospital I will be treated at based on the presence of smoking areas. To me it is all about personal freedoms.

I don't agree with staff taking patients out to smoke, I have not and will not do it nor will I ask someone else to do it. If they are well enough to take themself out they are well enough to go home.

Headhurt, ADN · Apr 4, 2004

When I started working at my hospital, we had to sign contracts saying we wouldn't smoke on the campus, blah, blah, blah. It was nice while it lasted, and then everyone just sort of forgot about the whole policy.

One day, a visitor was coming into the front entrance, which is where everyone would go out and smoke, and had a full blown asthma attack right there at the front door. After that, the powers that be decided to ban smoking around the entrance, and designated two other smoking areas...one in the back of the hospital, and one by the ER. They even errected a small shed for people to smoke in (we refer to it as the Iron Lung). Now, staff and family smoke in those areas, and if someone lights up, the little volunteers are right there to tell them to put it out.

There was an issue about patients wanting to go out and smoke...and staff on our floor would take them, thereby leaving the hall short. While smoking is just bad, its really bad for someone with a spinal fusion. We protested taking patients out to smoke, and our boss decided not to punish us for it. If the patients want to smoke, they have to physically take themselves down or have a family member. We won't let patients leave the floor if they have a PCA. Its amazing how the threat of taking away the Morphine will make a person want to stop smoking. The doctors on our floor also feel that if a patient is well enough to leave the floor to go smoke (its an orthopedic floor), then they are well enough to be discharged. Overall, it has worked very well.

Incidentally, I was visiting my grandfather at a different hospital for complications from emphysema (care to guess how he got it! :rolleyes: ). My aunt was outside smoking with about a dozen other people when a doctor came out. He said, "Keep puffing folks, that's good job security for me." Turns out, he was a pulmonologist. :rotfl:

nekhismom · Apr 5, 2004

I would be ELATED to work at a smoke-free place. Actually, I did work as a customer service rep at a smoke-free place once. There was no smoking anywhere on the property, not even in your own car. They did pour a little piece of concrete off the company-owned property that we called the smoker's pad. It was always really funny to see people all huddled up on the small concrete slab in freezing weather with snow falling all around, freezing and shaking insanely while trying to smoke a cigarette. But it was nice not to be suffocated by the smell of smoke coming out of the door.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 5, 2004

Wish our school was smoke-free. All those dang cig butts everywhere. Nasty.

SoonToBeNurse · Apr 5, 2004

mmmm....I think that the smell of garlic is offensive, it permeates hair, clothing, BREATH!!!!...Oh, those poor pt's having to deal with such a nasty smell from the health care staff when pregnant, on dialysis, etc...I think garlic should be banned by all hospitals and health care facilities! no garlic allowed on the property...even in private vehicles! Maybe even searches of cars and lockers and pockets for those little packs of take out garlic spread!... :uhoh3:

What about some of that nasty smelling gum available now...not to mention that people stick it everywhere! and where they don't stick it...they throw it down right where I am guranteed to step on it!!!! Lets ban that too!

And another thing...some detergents and fabric softeners leave a very strong odor in clothing, and even bleach does too! Lets just have a rule for that too...Make everyone use unscented detergent and fabric softener!

What about scented shampoos and conditioners!

All I am saying is that everyone finds some smells offensive. Something that stinks to me will smell heavenly to someone else....That is what it is all about...freedom of choice, that I am pretty sure is still in our constitution!

(sorry for the sarcasm....I felt like a point needed making. I am a smoker, just for the record, I have tried to quit, and will keep trying till I succeed. But that is entirely beside the point!)

smk1, LPN · Apr 5, 2004

mmmm....I think that the smell of garlic is offensive, it permeates hair, clothing, BREATH!!!!...Oh, those poor pt's having to deal with such a nasty smell from the health care staff when pregnant, on dialysis, etc...I think garlic should be banned by all hospitals and health care facilities! no garlic allowed on the property...even in private vehicles! Maybe even searches of cars and lockers and pockets for those little packs of take out garlic spread!...
What about some of that nasty smelling gum available now...not to mention that people stick it everywhere! and where they don't stick it...they throw it down right where I am guranteed to step on it!!!! Lets ban that too!
And another thing...some detergents and fabric softeners leave a very strong odor in clothing, and even bleach does too! Lets just have a rule for that too...Make everyone use unscented detergent and fabric softener!
What about scented shampoos and conditioners!
All I am saying is that everyone finds some smells offensive. Something that stinks to me will smell heavenly to someone else....That is what it is all about...freedom of choice, that I am pretty sure is still in our constitution!
(sorry for the sarcasm....I felt like a point needed making. I am a smoker, just for the record, I have tried to quit, and will keep trying till I succeed. But that is entirely beside the point!)

show me a valid study showing a correlation between second hand smells of garlic or gum and cancer or asthma attacks and i'll hop on the bandwagon with you :rolleyes: . lets not get ridiculous here... there is always going to be some random smell that somebody doesn't like, what we are talking about is a smell that can cause not only a nauseated stomach, but severe allergy attacks, asthma attacks and in large doses cancer (if you are forced to constantly take people out and stay with them breathing in their smoke.) If you choose to smoke fine but understand that many many others do NOT want to smell it or take the inherent risks associated with breathing in your carcinogens. Sorry to sound abrupt here but I get REALLY irritated with people who expect everybody else to suffer for their habit and have the nerve to get irritated when a concern is voiced :angryfire

p.s. if somebody comes in reeking of some unknown smell and it is causing vomiting, allergy symptoms and breathing ailments then by all means they need to shower and change into fresh scrubs too.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 5, 2004

mmmm....I think that the smell of garlic is offensive, it permeates hair, clothing, BREATH!!!!...Oh, those poor pt's having to deal with such a nasty smell from the health care staff when pregnant, on dialysis, etc...I think garlic should be banned by all hospitals and health care facilities! no garlic allowed on the property...even in private vehicles! Maybe even searches of cars and lockers and pockets for those little packs of take out garlic spread!...
What about some of that nasty smelling gum available now...not to mention that people stick it everywhere! and where they don't stick it...they throw it down right where I am guranteed to step on it!!!! Lets ban that too!
And another thing...some detergents and fabric softeners leave a very strong odor in clothing, and even bleach does too! Lets just have a rule for that too...Make everyone use unscented detergent and fabric softener!
What about scented shampoos and conditioners!
All I am saying is that everyone finds some smells offensive. Something that stinks to me will smell heavenly to someone else....That is what it is all about...freedom of choice, that I am pretty sure is still in our constitution!
(sorry for the sarcasm....I felt like a point needed making. I am a smoker, just for the record, I have tried to quit, and will keep trying till I succeed. But that is entirely beside the point!)

Someone else's garlic breath is not going to send me into an asthma attack or give me cancer.