Know-it-alls

[One Flew Over]

Ever have a few coworkers who think they know whats best for everyone, and it's their way or the highway? :chuckle

I had a 96 year old lady who I used to take out every day for a quick smoke. She used to hold the cigarettes like we were doing something naughty, with a big grin on her face. She wasn't addicted by any means, it was more of a fun social thing for her. She enjoyed it, I enjoyed it. We'd sit outside, and she'd tell me stories of her past, good and bad memories. Some of my coworkers were less than thrilled. They seemed to think that since the PSA's say smoking is bad, than I shouldn't condone this behavior in this woman who's old enough to be my grandmother. That I should 'put my foot down' and deny her the right to smoke.

Finally one day I got sick of hearing it so I said to them rather firmly, 'She's 96 years old, she's not going to live forever. If the cigarettes haven't killed her by now, they never will. Let her have her fun.'

They never bothered us again

She died in her sleep this past year, not of emphysema, not of lung cancer, of old age. I'm glad I never listened to those coworkers and deny her a time of the day that she enjoyed so much. I still miss those little breaks with her. One of the last of her days, she told me 'I've grown quite fond of you. I'm glad we've spent this time together' :) :heartbeat

Rest in peace Edna :heartbeat

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

As long as a pt is medically ok to go outside (no heart monitor, PCA, can walk ok, etc) I have no problem letting or even taking a pt out to smoke (which I have been known to do). I do get annoyed when some pt's will see the shape of a pack in my pocket and proceed to ask me everytime I enter their room if they can have a cigerette. You want to smoke, fine, but I'm not giving you one (it's against hospital policy to share with pts).

[One Flew Over]

Her daughter supplied them, otherwise she might have been out of luck! (I don't smoke :) )

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

I would totally do that for a patient, if i worked in LTC.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

I'm not a CNA, so forgive me for butting in, but I figure if anyone has made it to that age, then they have earned the right to do whatever they darned well please.

'She's 96 years old, she's not going to live forever. If the cigarettes haven't killed her by now, they never will. Let her have her fun.'

I agree completely. Cigarettes, alcohol, cake and ice cream (diabetic or not), whatever. And I've told families this, too.

Good for you and Edna.

[casi, ASN, RN]

That's awesome. Thanks for being there for her.

[JaredCNA, CNA]

As long as a pt is medically ok to go outside (no heart monitor, PCA, can walk ok, etc) I have no problem letting or even taking a pt out to smoke (which I have been known to do). I do get annoyed when some pt's will see the shape of a pack in my pocket and proceed to ask me everytime I enter their room if they can have a cigerette. You want to smoke, fine, but I'm not giving you one (it's against hospital policy to share with pts).

I hate when a patient sees the outline of my pack and asks me if they can bum one off of me. I'd never allow it, although I don't know that we have a policy against it. Well...I take that back. I don't mind giving one cigarette to a psych patient that I know is a smoker. It helps them calm down sometimes.

I've never went downstairs with a patient who wants to smoke. Our policy is that if a patient wants to smoke, they should be physically able to take themselves downstairs. Out of curiosity though, would you smoke in front of a patient you took downstairs to smoke? I don't think I would for some reason.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I hate when a patient sees the outline of my pack and asks me if they can bum one off of me. I'd never allow it, although I don't know that we have a policy against it. Well...I take that back. I don't mind giving one cigarette to a psych patient that I know is a smoker. It helps them calm down sometimes.

I've never went downstairs with a patient who wants to smoke. Our policy is that if a patient wants to smoke, they should be physically able to take themselves downstairs. Out of curiosity though, would you smoke in front of a patient you took downstairs to smoke? I don't think I would for some reason.

I have smoked with pts (the hospital I worked at was "smoke-free", so ALL staff, pts, etc had to walk to the sidewalk). My favorite "smoke buddy" was a pt near and dear to my heart that died last month. Did smoking cause him to die? No. Did smoking help, probably, but when you're dying anyway, I'm not one to judge what you choose your last few indulgances to be. Now pt's that are on O2 begging to go out and smoke, absolutely not. Also, as I work in pediatrics now, I have no problem with pts 18+ going down for a smoke, but when the youngsters want to it makes me a little uneasy.

[EmergencyMedicine]

good story, she will never forget you, its people like you that give these people everyday life. Without that talk with you on her little smoke breaks, i bet she laid in bed or leaning over a chair or walker waiting anxiously for that 5 minutes when she got a chance to share her life. I have only met a few people like you while working in the medical field and that friendship and trust is the best medicine any of these people could ever have.

On behalf of her, and thousands like her

thank you

[Tippy-ta-ta]

I used to work in a facility that had a smoke room for the pt's and the staff. Alot of us CNA's on nights who smoked would take the pts to the smoke room and chart as we smoked with them.

In some instances you bonded with residents during this time. It gave you someting in common, evenif it was a bad habit, you still had a coommon interst.