Nurses who smoke

pen2 · May 8, 2004

i see

my client sleep with unhappy from disease of smoke

why we had to smoke too? not do that it's best.life not easy to do good :imbar

SmilingBluEyes · May 8, 2004

you said it well, pen!

vaRN · May 9, 2004

We have had three major medical centers go smoke free in the past year. Has anyone noticed this trend in their areas? Being in the south, we love our sins. I did not see this coming so soon. I work for the VA and I do not believe we will be going smoke free in this century. I have actually passed a patient in the hall in a wheelchair with two IV poles, a JP drain and a foley wheeling themselves down to the smoking area outside. We are surrounded by a massive acute care hospital and now all their employees are coming to our campus to smoke. It is kind of funny, but I miss eating lunch outside.

I quit smoking 2 weeks before nursing school. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done. If my boyfriend (now my husband) had not quit with me, I could have never accomplished such a task. I used smoking as a stress reliever. I respect anyone that can quit and do not judge those who cannot. Being smoke free for almost five years I believe it can be done, but it is not easy. Considering that many of the nurses I work with are overweight and like to indulge in ETOH, they should be the last ones casting stones at my coworkers. If one chooses to smoke, it is his or her decision and as long as you don't blow it in my face or do it in my house, we do not have a problem.

starryx2 · May 10, 2004

I smoke, and i do go out during my two 15 minute breaks, and 1/2 hour lunch. I complely agree with the problems with smoking. Now in my place of employment non-smoking staff most of the time choose to not take a break of some sort and I look at that as there loss. Now I do not believe that we should be allowed to smoke during working hours for the reasons listed by everyone who posted. I was fortunate to have old time nurses who were sticklers on the rules like No smoking while in uniform.. Have we forgotten these things or are they not teaching them anymore. I do it so I shouldnt talk, only becasue i get so stressed half the time that i need to go ouside or Im going to have a nervous breakdown, but I believe that nurses should not smoke while in uniform, not take "extra" time absolutly should not smoke in front of patients. Thats my feelings on the subject :rotfl:

Dixiedi · May 11, 2004

i would like to know anyone's opinion on nurses who smoke. i know someone who works in an outpatient cancer center, and on her breaks she smokes outside while patients are going in and out of the building (and they see her smoking). do you think it is positive for a nurse to smoke, and then educate her patients about not smoking? especially infront of a lung cancer pt??? :stone
this post is just for your view on this issue, and i am a neutral. i have been a smoker for several years, and i will be graduating from nursing school in the spring. many people including my instructors have been so negative towards my smoking, i just want to know what to expect when i get into the work place. are nurses ok with this? i know that its bad for me, and i know i should quit, but thats easier said then done. any suggestions???
sorry for the original typo's, you guys can be harsh on the spelling errors :imbar

i guess you haven't been keeping up with the results of the multitude of smoking research. it has been proven that second hand smoke does not damage a non smoker. i will agree that the smoke itself is sometimes annoying, but it's not going to kill ya or "give" you asthma.

it is increasingly believed that there is a genetic link to who gets ca and who does not. if you "have the gene for it," you have a better chance of geting it. if you don't, smoke on...you are not likely to get it.

i am a nurse. i have been a smoker for about 35 years now. yep, my lungs are smokey. stick an oximeter on my thumb and you get an o2 sat of 100%. i come from a family of smokers, coal miners and firemen on the trains of yesteryear. not a single family member has ever had lung ca or emphysema.

simple statement that many people can not accept. surely as we are born, we will die. some, even those who did not smoke, did not live/work with smokers will die from lung cancer. it's just as simple as that.

nonsmokers... get off of it. most of the smokers are tired of hearing your mouth. a mouth that speaks up all too often without checking the latest research.

SmilingBluEyes · May 11, 2004

Would you kindly point me to the "latest research" on second-hand smoke? And then maybe I can ignore my anecdotal experience. Til then, I will not "get off it" as you suggest, but push all the time, for smoke-free environments. They ARE healthier and MUCH more pleasant to be in, period.

Dixiedi · May 11, 2004

Would you kindly point me to the "latest research" on second-hand smoke? And then maybe I can ignore my anecdotal experience. Til then, I will not "get off it" as you suggest, but push all the time, for smoke-free environments. They ARE healthier and MUCH more pleasant to be in, period.

Here's a link that will enlighten you.

Dixiedi · May 11, 2004

would you kindly point me to the "latest research" on second-hand smoke? and then maybe i can ignore my anecdotal experience. til then, i will not "get off it" as you suggest, but push all the time, for smoke-free environments. they are healthier and much more pleasant to be in, period.

let me then add... i do smoke, it casues me no problems and it is proven to cause no one else any problem other than "it's unpleasant."

i am allergic to many things. many colognes, perfumes, soaps and the like really bother me. they are more than unpleasant, i literally can not breath. should everyone be prevented from using these products? of course not. i simply need to realize that everyone has the right to do as they please unless they are truly a public health hazard. it's not about individuals, it's all about the public. many of us are allergic to these things, more than you might think. i don't have numbers, but i personally know enough individuals to realize there must be millions, maybe billions of us. but, we are not individually "the public." individuals can not be told they can not use these products based on the fact that it's bothers some, even if "some" go into anaphylactic shock. it's our responsibility to take care of ourselves. not the government.

SmilingBluEyes · May 11, 2004

I will read that site carefully, thank you for the link....

. Mean time, you are saying to me and others here, if we are uncomfortable, (and allergic as in my case) to your smoke residues, "too bad" right? Downright caring of ya! That puts the "caring" in health CARE worker, I would say. I am glad all smokers don't have your attitude and also glad none of the women I work with do smoke. Oh, and we don't wear perfume, either, for the same reasons. YOU have the choice to refrain from smoking; patients don't have a choice when you choose to carry the noxious residue from this habit to their bedside, however. Last I checked, your coworkers and patients were part of the "public" to which you refer....ah well. Who cares right.

Dixiedi · May 11, 2004

I will read that site carefully, thank you for the link....
. Mean time, you are saying to me and others here, if we are uncomfortable, (and allergic as in my case) to your smoke residues, "too bad" right? Downright caring of ya! That puts the "caring" in health CARE worker, I would say. I am glad all smokers don't have your attitude and also glad none of the women I work with do smoke. Oh, and we don't wear perfume, either, for the same reasons. YOU have the choice to refrain from smoking; patients don't have a choice when you choose to carry the noxious residue from this habit to their bedside, however. Last I checked, your coworkers and patients were part of the "public" to which you refer....ah well. Who cares right.

When I am sitting at a counter at the local deli and a non smoker is eating there, I ask them if my smoking will bother them. I do not ask if there is no food on the counter. I have the right to smoke, if the residue is offensive to you, I do apologize. I am aware that many non-smokers really do not care for the smell, but really, that's not my problem. I am clean, well groomed and wear no colognes or perfumes. I use these handy new breath papers. Just love them! Beyond that, I am me. I will remain me. I will not change because a few people are intolerant of the human race and our individualism.

You know, I worked chemo and telemetry for years. I also worked post-op trauma before that for 8 years. Never once did I hear "you have smokers breath, next time, I would prefer you not do CPR."

leslie :-D · May 11, 2004

you know, as a smoker, i am very respectful of a non-smoker's rights. when i eat in a restaurant, i just do not smoke; i sit in the non-smoking section because i can understand smoke grossly interfering with another's meal. but when a facility goes smoke-free, and people are going outside for their breaks and certain non-smokers are STILL complaining about residues, well that's too damn bad. i agree that people should not abuse their breaks regardless of the reason. i am a very considerate smoker. it really gets me going when there's just no pleasing some people. the facility is smoke-free for crying out loud!!!

itsme · May 12, 2004

I think this smoker vs. non smoker thread is almost as entertaining as the Rn vs Lpn threads. Cant we all just get along!!!!!!