I am working in the same trust as the Nurse that was killed this week. She is very much in our thoughts.
She was killed at the back of the Hospital building, having a smoke during her break.
This Hospital is one of the first in our trust to enforce a total smoking ban anywhere in the grounds of the hospital (including our own cars). The smokers amoungst us go to unsafe parts of the Hospital (usually the back of buildings) to smoke in our breaks. We do this because we can be sacked if caught and we have an addiction.
This is still happening despite a young lady being killed as a result of having to hide her habit.
I understand why she went there, but that was still a choice. Risking going to an unsafe area to do anything is a choice. I sometimes do it to use my cell phone. If I get attacked, I wouldn't say it was because of our cell phone ban or blame the employer.
I understand why she went there, but that was still a choice. Risking going to an unsafe area to do anything is a choice. I sometimes do it to use my cell phone. If I get attacked, I wouldn't say it was because of our cell phone ban or blame the employer.
I disagree. There should be a safe area in which you are permitted to use your phone, just as there should be a safe area for her to have a ciggie.
I am so tired of being protected from myself. Now we're being protected right into unsafe situations.
Oh, and I quit smoking 11 years ago. I still have ashtrays easily available in my home.
That's terrible! I hope that this tragedy results in a change, perhaps in security or a fenced in safe area on the property with plenty of lights, attached to the building in which you work... I'm so sorry about the loss of your colleague.
At the hospital were i work they have moved the smoke shelter to the back of the hospital building down a dark back alley, we have complained to managers about the safety aspect, with no response, on more than one occasion i have gone to the shelter and been confronted with addicts or drunks, even before this incident i was concerned.
An internal email has gone around advising staff to go in pairs and report suspicious persons!!
This has raised many concerns re: staffs safety in the hospital at night, not only for smokers but staff in general who like myself are called to other units several times a night, security is none existent visitors and everyone else have free access to all areas, sadly i have been expecting an attack like this in a hospital for a long while.
This poor nurse was killed by a stranger, she did not ask or deserve this!! she was as i believe in the designated smoking area and if she wasn't she did not deserve this.
We don't have smoking shelters in our hospital. We have to go out of the grounds of the hospital, cover every part of our uniform and, even on night shifts, stand in an extremely dodgy part of London where stabbings happen very often.
I'm giving up smoking soon (have only smoked for months), partly because of that, partly because of my health... but I'm still so annoyed at the mentality of the managers who believe putting workers at risk is more important than "saving face" in this new world of non-smoking workplaces.
To read each of your posts leaves an impact. To be killed in the grounds of your workplace while smoking ....? I understand each person smoking has a different point of view. When the hosptial I work in banned smoking in public places it also made available stop smoking programs for each staff member should they wish it.
fergus51
6,620 Posts
I understand why she went there, but that was still a choice. Risking going to an unsafe area to do anything is a choice. I sometimes do it to use my cell phone. If I get attacked, I wouldn't say it was because of our cell phone ban or blame the employer.