Hospital will not hire smokers

elkpark · Jun 23, 2014

There are 29 states that have "smoker protection laws." Smoker Protection Law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. I worked with a CNA last night who took excessive smoke breaks (10 in 8 hours). Making my case to go to Mgr/HR. Any words of advise would be appreciated.

Thanks for posting this. I was unaware of the existence of "smoker protection laws." What a great idea ... :no:

Concerto_in_C, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2014

Unsure about the ethics of non-hiring smokers but I strongly believe nurses should be physically fit so they can deliver quality, prompt care and also look the part of a professional who teaches a healthy lifestyle.

The nurses I work with lift weights, run in marathons, they are like paratroopers. I'm not exactly Mr. Olympia myself but I take care of myself, I lift weights; my grip is so strong I can pick up a pair of iron plates and hold them all day, I own a treadmill and run on it, skate on roller blades, even skip rope for cardio endurance.

One of the biggest responsibilities of a nurse is teaching a healthy lifestyle. If you are going to teach a healthy lifestyle and you smoke, what kind of example are you going to set for the patient? The patients expects you to be a role model of fitness and health.

If you hire a personal trainer and pay her a ton of money, would you like to see her go behind the gym and light up? I would be kind of disappointed.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2014

This is definitely new to me, apparantly this will be the first hospital in MD that will do this. I just believe what people do in their private homes shouldn't matter. What is next, no hiring nurses with a BMI higher than 29???

Actually, there is a hospital (I believe in Texas) that will not hire significantly overweight staff members. As in BMI of 35 or higher. It made the national news.

GrannyRRT · Jun 29, 2014

Actually, there is a hospital (I believe in Texas) that will not hire significantly overweight staff members. As in BMI of 35 or higher. It made the national news.

Victoria Hospital in TX. Victoria Hospital Won't Hire Very Obese Workers | The Texas Tribune

The states which supposed have laws to protect smokers do allow for government agencies to regulate their workers. Firefighters must be smoke free for one year in many FDs. A few states have a state no smoking mandate for their LEOs, COs and EMS if affiliated with the government.

California was listed on there but it has one of the country's most notable no smoking regulations for apartments and businesses.

floatnurse2000 · Jun 29, 2014

They need to start checking for alcohol too! After all they are both horrible for your health and can kill you, I'm sick and tired of them choosing certain bad habits and ignoring alcohol.

brianbooth, RN · Jun 29, 2014

I understand, and sympathize with, contributors who see nurses who smoke as being hypocritical when it comes to patient education. May I suggest that there is another side to this? As a nurse who smokes, when I talk to patients who would really benefit from giving up, I am immune to the 'that's easy for you to say' gambit.

Add to that discussions about why my wife succeeded in giving up and I haven't, looking at the different approaches we used, and I believe my contribution to individual 'health education' may be more useful than hypocritical.

stippie09, ASN, RN · Jul 7, 2014

Here's my two cents on the matter. If hospitals want their nurses to paint a picture of health for their patients, they need to worry how obese nurses will look to their patients. Who will be able to get to you faster if your heart stops? A obese nurse, no! Nursing is very stressful and if you want to have a cigarette to calm down then fine, who cares. Its sad really.

elkpark · Jul 7, 2014

They need to start checking for alcohol too! After all they are both horrible for your health and can kill you, I'm sick and tired of them choosing certain bad habits and ignoring alcohol.

The difference is that, while alcohol abuse and dependence are v. dangerous and cause a lot of personal and social problems/costs, alcohol used in moderation is not harmful and, according to some studies, may actually have some health benefits. There is no "safe" or "healthy" level of tobacco use.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 8, 2014

I'm not going to come down on one side or the other of this debate. I'll just offer this:
Why do so many nurses smoke? Why, in the UK, were we the last 'profession' to go under 50% smokers? I'd suggest:
* nicotine is an appetite suppressant; five minutes of smoking can substitute for a 30 minute meal break
* it's not the done thing in nursing to say we're having trouble coping; if someone says 'I can't handle this', then they're a weakling, but 'I've had enough, I'm going for a smoke' is somehow more acceptable
* the smoking area is the one place where you can find out what's really going on in the workplace, at all levels

I wish we could all have hourly smoke breaks! Even though I don't/have never smoked, it would be nice to be able to say, when I've had enough "I'm going for a smoke break." That doesn't seem to be acceptable, though.

RedInScrubs, ASN, RN · Jul 10, 2014

As a nurse, I don't particularly have any opinion on what my coworkers do. I don't smoke, but I have no opinion of those that do.

However, as a patient with severe asthma that is and has always been exacerbated by direct smoke or indirect exposure (like being in a car where people have smoked), I can tell you that I approve of having staff that doesn't. Even being around smokers who have clothing saturated with smoke can trigger an attack, so for me, a potential patient, that rule would improve my safety and health.

icarr757 · Jul 10, 2014

Hospital that just hired me tested for nicotine as well as all the other fun drugs when I had to go pee in the cup.

The future is here...

aflahe00 · Feb 10, 2017

I don't think it's right it's discrimination if you ask me. It's not illegal to smoke. I think it's ridiculous.