I'm such a hypocrit.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Jan 25, 2011

Perhaps you're suffering memory retention disorder r/t tobacco intake a/e/b inability to recall events.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 25, 2011

whatever!!! smoking cessation is a hard goal to accomplish. congrats on making it to one year! may you have many more healthy years to live smoke-free! :yeah:

needlefoxRN · Jan 25, 2011

I'm a former smoker myself. I switched to electronic cigarettes a month ago and have been disgusted with the smell of regular cigarettes ever since.

allnurses Guide · Jan 25, 2011

Congrats! Smoking is a very hard habit to kick! If co-workers need to give report to go on a regular break that everyone is entitled to then fine-- but extra breaks just to smoke? NO. I don't blame you for being irritated by that!

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2011

Years ago, I worked on a very small unit with another nurse that was a smoker - often just us two on the night shift. She also had some serious codependency issues. One very busy night, they pulled our assistant, leaving us to struggle through. I stayed the course, missed lunch and slogged on through because I really needed to leave on time. She, on the other hand, took a few extra smoke breaks, "you know, the stress", got a full lunch, and spoke on the phone about how hard her night was.

When shift change came, I was about to finish on time, when I get called for a meeting. It seems that my coworker was teary, because she was running late and felt "so alone and no one to help me". I had offered several times but was declined. After getting blamed for not being "helpful", I finally just let her have it, in front of the manager about the time wasted on smoke breaks and kvetching to buddies on other floors about how busy it was instead of doing her work.

I don't think that she ever forgave me for saying that in front of the manager and I never forgave her for making me late after running my butt off all night so I could have gotten off on time but then didn't.

merlee · Jan 25, 2011

For many years, I made my mother go outside to smoke when she visited us. But mom usually woke up once or twice during the night to go to the bathroom, and she would light up for just a few puffs. She opened the window a bit, thinking that it would help to dissipate the odor. In the morning, I would always remark about the smell of her cigarette smoke, and she would insist that I was just guessing that she smoked.

Then she quit smoking. After almost 50 years, she used the patch, and she QUIT. I was so proud of her! And she finally realized that just a few puffs could really stink up the house. She apologized to me for giving me a hard time, but more important, she really couldn't stand being in a smoky restaurant, or even being near a smoker who had the odor clinging to them.

As for smoking at work, I got tired of taking report for everyone else's smoke breaks. And one day, back in the Jurassic Age, I told someone to listen for any of my pts' lights, I was going to take a quick smoke break. I went into the lounge, put my feet up, and read a bit of the newspaper. The supervisor came in to ask what I was doing. I told her I was taking a smoking break, just like everyone else did. I don't know what was said, but hardly anyone ever asked me again to 'watch their lights', and the overall number of breaks seemed to drop quite a bit......

TheCareerStudent · Jan 25, 2011

I have always hated when smokers get extra breaks at work. But my reason was the people I work with would disappear for an hour or two, I am not a nurse yet, and then come back like nothing was wrong. Uggggghh I hated it and it was so unfair.

I am glad you are reformed and have quit. Your coworkers probably are too!

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2011

Years ago, I worked on a very small unit with another nurse that was a smoker - often just us two on the night shift. She also had some serious codependency issues. One very busy night, they pulled our assistant, leaving us to struggle through. I stayed the course, missed lunch and slogged on through because I really needed to leave on time. She, on the other hand, took a few extra smoke breaks, "you know, the stress", got a full lunch, and spoke on the phone about how hard her night was.
When shift change came, I was about to finish on time, when I get called for a meeting. It seems that my coworker was teary, because she was running late and felt "so alone and no one to help me". I had offered several times but was declined. After getting blamed for not being "helpful", I finally just let her have it, in front of the manager about the time wasted on smoke breaks and kvetching to buddies on other floors about how busy it was instead of doing her work.
I don't think that she ever forgave me for saying that in front of the manager and I never forgave her for making me late after running my butt off all night so I could have gotten off on time but then didn't.

How did your manager deal with the matter after you stood up for yourself? Do you guys still work together?

coolpeach · Jan 25, 2011

I smoke and I get irritated by people leaving the floor. We have 6 patients each, and are on the 6th floor. It takes a lot of time to take the elevators down, go outside, go off the property, and then smoke, and come back. I have no idea how they do it. I often get called while I am using the bathroom because my patient needs this or that.

I have never went out to smoke, but use an electronic cigarette while at work. I smoke while I chart, and it works fine. P.S. I have also cut down from 2 packs a day to about 5 cigarettes a day using my electronic cigarette. I should be cigarette free within a couple of months.

INLPN93 · Jan 25, 2011

Years ago, I worked on a very small unit with another nurse that was a smoker - often just us two on the night shift. She also had some serious codependency issues. One very busy night, they pulled our assistant, leaving us to struggle through. I stayed the course, missed lunch and slogged on through because I really needed to leave on time. She, on the other hand, took a few extra smoke breaks, "you know, the stress", got a full lunch, and spoke on the phone about how hard her night was.
When shift change came, I was about to finish on time, when I get called for a meeting. It seems that my coworker was teary, because she was running late and felt "so alone and no one to help me". I had offered several times but was declined. After getting blamed for not being "helpful", I finally just let her have it, in front of the manager about the time wasted on smoke breaks and kvetching to buddies on other floors about how busy it was instead of doing her work.
I don't think that she ever forgave me for saying that in front of the manager and I never forgave her for making me late after running my butt off all night so I could have gotten off on time but then didn't.

:yeah:Awesome!! :yeah:

Good for you, been there and it sucks.

Glad to see you dished it right back to them.

edrnbailey · Jan 25, 2011

Congrats!!! I haven't had a cigarette since 3/14/09 (my son's 3rd birthday). And I am appalled at some of my co-workers. 6-8 "smoke breaks in a 12 hour shift means that they are leaving the department every 2 hours at a minimum. I work in the ED and we are typically working 1 nurse short. When 2 or more go smoke together that only leaves 2 nurses in the dept (one of which is in triage). I have complained to charge nurses, managers, etc.. behavior continues. What makes this worse is they don't even bother to give report on the patients. Just a "I'll be back," and they're gone. Since it is hospital policy that there can be no smoking on the property, they have to walk to the road and smoke on the sidewalk or get in their cars and leave to smoke in the parking lot of a physician's office close by. At the end of the shift they complain about how they still have charting to complete, they are soooo much busier than others, and expect the rest of us to help them get caught up. If you refuse, you're the bad guy. I'm getting used to being the bad guy. 1. I can't and won't chart on a patient I didn't see/care for. 2. Why should I do ALL my work and PART of theirs just so they can feed the addiction. I remember smoking, and smoked once during a 12 hour shift. That was on my lunch break. My 30 minutes was used to get food, eat it, and smoke 1 cigarette (2 if I was lucky). There were days when I would have a chance to go out late afternoon if patient census allowed, but those were few and far between. I just don't get it....

In the nearly 2 years since I quit, I have lost 30 lbs, ran a 1/2 marathon, and am living a much healthier lifestyle. I have the energy to run and play with my son. I get comments all the time about the amount of gum I chew (started chewing gum to help with the oral fixation component with smoking). I just tell'em that it won't kill me or my family and at least my breath, clothes, car, house, etc.... doesn't stink. Soooo from where I sit it is not really being a hypocrite but recognizing unhealthy patterns and changing those. My patients respect me more and I can understand the difficulties they have with their own battles with nicotine addiction. I felt more like a hypocrite when I told them they couldn't smoke or need to quit smoking, and then went outside to light up myself...:smokin: