Not hired if you smoke?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was watching the news today and seen where a particular health care business were not hiring anyone that does not pass the nicotine test, but they are not firing the ones that have been there and smoke. Just thought I would see what everyones opinion is on it.

I've looked over quite a few pages and haven't seen anything being posted on this, so if it is I apologize. I just did not see it.

Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

IMHO it is not quite the same as being "black, Asian, American Indian, Muslim or gay" . To smoke or not is a lifestyle choice that may or may not become an addiction. I feel that smokers should not be "No hires" but should be willing to pay higher insurance premiums to offset the higher risk of long term payout due to smoking related illnesses. Just my:twocents:

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
IMHO it is not quite the same as being "black, Asian, American Indian, Muslim or gay" . To smoke or not is a lifestyle choice that may or may not become an addiction. I feel that smokers should not be "No hires" but should be willing to pay higher insurance premiums to offset the higher risk of long term payout due to smoking related illnesses. Just my:twocents:

Some say so is being Gay a "choice". Whether it is a choice or not.....should they be discriminated against? I agree don't smoke at the hospital...but what people do at home in their on their own time...if it's legal they have that right......What if you colored your hair and the hospital decides it wasn't good for your health, proven to increase the chances of developing cancer besides pollution to the environment.

Should they not hire you because you use hair die? You might develop cancer and you pollute the water supply and environment? But based on the possibility that you may develop cancer from the hair dye, should you pay more insurance coverage? .....I mean you can always just choose to not dye your hair....Right?

I don't smoke but I still believe it's wrong....:smokin:

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

In the same example if I want the job and not have to pay increased insurance premiums then I can quit using hair dye or get a job somewhere that does not have those policies, just as those who smoke are free to do the same. It is not a right to have a job. It is a mutually beneficial agreement between two parties. I agree to perform specific functions and abide by certain policies and they agree to pay me an agreed upon wage and benefits. Those who are "black, Asian, American Indian....." have no control over their ethnicity and thus are truly victims of discrimination.

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I must admit I do have a problem with this. First, yes I am a smoker, currently trying to quit. This brings me to the problem. I understand not smoking in hospitals or public places. It has been that way for years. The hospital here owns several blocks around the hospital and workers cannot smoke on the property at all. My problem is what about the people like me using nicotine through e-cigs, patches or gum to quit. it would still show nicotine in a test. People use the excuse of endangering other people's health. Guess what, my gum wont endanger you. What about health costs? raising my insurance? There is no proven scientific data that nicotine alone is connected with cancer,copd etc( it is inhaling the smoke, not the nicotine) and research is currently looking at benefits of nicotine in many diseases,ie- prevents Kaposi sarcoma in aids pt, treatment in schizophrenia and ocd, etc,etc. Lastly- why should an employer be able to control what you do outside of your job? I have taken care of and can see at least 3times the healthcare costs of alcoholics and prescription drug overuse, however they arent trying to prove you drink at home on the weekend and refuse to hire you. Tired of " the man" trying to control us all!!!!!!

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Specializes in ER, ICU.
I personally don't think this is a good policy..what someone does outside of their job - off campus, is their business...as long as it's not effecting their job. For insurance companies to state or hospitals to state someone who smokes is more ill than others,take time off etc. I beg to differ..what about those who drink too much? Or struggle with depression? Where I worked before the smokers knew the campus was non-smoking but the call offs were almost 100% nurses with children who had child care or child related illness situations. I can't see how someone who smokes cost the hospital/insurance more in loss time and insurance than someone who is calling off because of a sick child and using the insurance there. Now, my personal stance on smoking is I do not smoke, never have and have lost both my parents to lung cancer...both were smokers from the time they were teenagers and before we knew the dangers...yes, they tired to quit, no I don't think it's all just a will power thing..I think like gambling, alcohol, drugs..addictions can form and do so in some people. As far as employers not hiring smokers...I don't know..this, to me, is tap dancing on a persons personal freedom to choose outside the hospital setting. I agree w/smoke free campus, restaurants etc. because 2nd hand smoke can and does, in those situations, effect others..but, a nurse driving to or from work smoking in their car? I just don't see it being an issue.

There are studies showing third hand smoke, or off-gassing, can be a significant factor. I know that if my patient smokes, I can tell the second I walk into the room. If you smoke before work, you do bring it with you, in your hair, clothes and probably your tissues. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/health/research/03smoke.html

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

In actual fact hiring practices and benefits are two separate issues. I have already stated that I don't feel that a person's status as a smoker or non-smoker should be relevant when it comes to hiring practices. However, benefits are a "perk" that employers provide to make their company more attractive to employees. They are not required to provide ANY benefits and indeed some employers are finding it less costly to offer higher wages in place of benefits. In the companies I have worked for, they paid the full premium for the actual employee and we paid all or part of the premium for our spouses/families. So I guess my feeling is if they want to put some limits on the "perks" they are paying for it is their right to do so.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.
I think it's coming in CO near future. Especially since we are the skinniest state in the country. They aren't going to want to lose that title and will want to display how healthy we are in the hospitals. I have heard of a health system that is headed this way in my area. Coloradoians are dedicated health nuts!!! These crazy people will be jogging in a blizzard or in temps in the teens and the gym parking lot will be full still during a massive snow storm.

The term is Coloradans ;) And it's not crazy to be strong and fit.

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
Alcohol is legal and many establishments do not serve it. Is that infringing on the rights of those that want to drink?

But....they are not testing for alcohol prior to employment. You are not considered ineligible for employment just because you had a drink sometime within the past 30 days. (And there is also plenty of documentation the second hand effects of alcohol causes a lot of damage, ie: drinking/driving).

Maybe we should ban alcohol and nicotine....Oh wait, they tried that once. Didn't work so well.

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I've always despised policies that take perfectly good employees or future workers and condemn them out of hand. I don't approve of it and believe it to be unconstitutional. I'll put it this way, if a person wanted to work in a hospital who had HIV or was gay would they tell them to look elsewhere because a potential exists for sickness to develop and increase premiums. I hate to say it, but our government is paying state hospitals to screen for nicotine just as they do for drugs.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Telemetry, Med/Surg.

My hospital does not. I dont know of any in my state that do actually. Good thing or I would be out of a job. :rolleyes:

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I work at an Ohio hospital, nicotine free is in place, now they also adjust insurance rates according to height/weight vital signs and other lab results. I do not have high cholesterol but mine was slightly elevated but within normal range/ I was dinged and charged more for my insurance because it was up fm previous year and they considered my within normal range as borderline.

Also nurses with spouses that smoke are considered higher risk. :confused:

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Specializes in ICU Telemetry Med/Surg.

I was glad to see that one person touched on my personal peeve with smokers, the amount of time taken for smoke breaks. We (non-smokers) used to joke that we were going to iniate non smoke breaks

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