Nurses who smoke?

[Pete Venkman]

What do you think?

I mean most of them would like to quit. But as a healthcare pro do you think any facility should accomodate smoking?

There is a hospital here that requires a pre-employment skin test to see if you've even been in a smokey environment. Do you like this idea?

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

(fabric softener sheets for hair, jackets over scrubs, mouthwash, etc)

Which smells like smokey fabric softer, smokey shirt (still), smokey mouthwash, etc.

Nothing really gets rid of it.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

I am a nurse who also happens to be a smoker. Would I like to quit? Yes Have I been successful thus far? No. But I resent the implication that I get any more breaks than my non smoking co-workers. My place of employment allows me two 15 minutes breaks and a half hour lunch. We HAVE to take the lunch as we have to clock out for it. But those two 15 minute breaks are not set in stone. If I have too much work or am behind for any reason, no I don't get them. But on the days I am able to squeeze them in, yes I go outside for a smoke. How is this any different than the non smoking nurses sitting in the conference room or the med room for 15 minutes, or going off the unit to get coffee or something to drink? Just because I smoke, does not mean I work any less than those of you who don't.

Well said!

[Corvette Guy]

Originally Posted by Sapphy

I am a nurse who also happens to be a smoker. Would I like to quit? Yes Have I been successful thus far? No. But I resent the implication that I get any more breaks than my non smoking co-workers. My place of employment allows me two 15 minutes breaks and a half hour lunch. We HAVE to take the lunch as we have to clock out for it. But those two 15 minute breaks are not set in stone. If I have too much work or am behind for any reason, no I don't get them. But on the days I am able to squeeze them in, yes I go outside for a smoke. How is this any different than the non smoking nurses sitting in the conference room or the med room for 15 minutes, or going off the unit to get coffee or something to drink? Just because I smoke, does not mean I work any less than those of you who don't.

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Well said!

Where I work, the smokers go to a designated outside area that makes them unaccessible to the overhead paging system. However, a few of them [i don't smoke] will carry a beeper when they go outside to smoke. IMHO, taking a break in the nursing lounge, where the overhead paging system can be heard, or a phone call can be received, makes the nonsmoker far more accessible to the needs of the department.

[blynn]

By law, we're supposed to get an off the clock half hour lunch break daily, and also two paid fifteen minute breaks per day. The only ones that take the fifteen minute breaks are the smokers. I relapsed into smoking over the past year, I had quit for two years. I like to take a break just to GET AWAY from the office, and not be at the beck and call of every and any one for a few minutes. I definately need to quit smoking again though, maybe I'll just take a book to the cafeteria for a few minutes for a break instead of going out for a ciggie. I think it's important for people to get their breaks in, makes your day a lot less stressful.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

Where I work, the smokers go to a designated outside area that makes them unaccessible to the overhead paging system. However, a few of them [i don't smoke] will carry a beeper when they go outside to smoke. IMHO, taking a break in the nursing lounge, where the overhead paging system can be heard, or a phone call can be received, makes the nonsmoker far more accessible to the needs of the department.

Where I have been the overhead is in all break areas, as far as the phone....go were there is not one if it bothers you.

[SouthernLPN2RN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Our hospital is going smoke free on the 14th and I have concerns about it myself. I am a smoker, but I never go outside more than 3 times in a 12 hr shift, no more than 10 minutes at a time. This hospital is saying that you can't smoke in your car on campus, nor can you smoke on any street, sidewalk or property that touches theirs. My main concern is that night shift nurses who never takes a 30 min break will now have to clock out and be inaccessible since they have to be off of hospital property. As it is, we run downstairs and takes our phones with us. I have worked nocs at this hospital for a cumulative total of one year, and I've never seen a night shift nurse clock out for lunch or be inaccessible. This new policy also states that one can be sent home if they smell like smoke. I really don't see this policy being upheld for many different reasons. Another concern of mine is the psych pts. On my recent clinical rotation through there, the psych pts had to attend group if they wanted to go smoke, so now what are they going to do to get the pts in group? Sorry for the spelling errors, my fingers haven't yet thawed from the two hr girl scout cookie sale in the cold rain yesterday lol.

[pghfoxfan]

I am not a smoker. On my unit, the smokers take a break almost hourly. The breaks are at least 5 mins long, if not 10. I told my head nurse that I should get a day off every 2 weeks to make up for the breaks that I do not take. If you add the breaks up, in a year, smokers get an extra week vacation (if not 2). They are getting a benifit that nonsmokers are not getting. Now THAT does not seem fair.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

I am not a smoker. On my unit, the smokers take a break almost hourly. The breaks are at least 5 mins long, if not 10. I told my head nurse that I should get a day off every 2 weeks to make up for the breaks that I do not take. If you add the breaks up, in a year, smokers get an extra week vacation (if not 2). They are getting a benifit that nonsmokers are not getting. Now THAT does not seem fair.

I agree w/you it is not fair. I don't think smokers should get any more/longer breaks that non smokers. I only take the same breaks as non smokers (when I have the time). As w/anything there are going to be those that abuse it....then its up to mgmt. to deal w/it. I don't want anything extra I just think I should be able to smoke on my breaks if I choose to do so.:)

[LydiaNN]

I don't think any facility anywhere should accommodate smokers, period. Accommodating smokers means not accommodating those who don't want to breathe it or smell it, after all.

[Corvette Guy]

I don't think any facility anywhere should accommodate smokers, period. Accommodating smokers means not accommodating those who don't want to breathe it or smell it, after all.

:yelclap: ...besides, smoking is a health hazard. Why should a hospital support something that is a health hazard?

[Corvette Guy]

Originally Posted by Corvette Guy

Where I work, the smokers go to a designated outside area that makes them unaccessible to the overhead paging system. However, a few of them [i don't smoke] will carry a beeper when they go outside to smoke. IMHO, taking a break in the nursing lounge, where the overhead paging system can be heard, or a phone call can be received, makes the nonsmoker far more accessible to the needs of the department.

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Where I have been the overhead is in all break areas, as far as the phone....go were there is not one if it bothers you.

Okay, fine but where I work the outside break area does not have such overhead.

Why would I go take a break where I could not hear the overhead page, or a phone call? I'm not trying to hide while I'm on break, LOL.

Obviously, you misunderstood my post you sited. My complaint was smokers take more frequent breaks, plus sometimes they seem to hide [where I work!].

[SmilingBluEyes]

I am so very glad I work in a unit where no one smokes. This is one issue we can do without.