Nurses and smoking

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Is it ok for nurses and doctors to smoke?

    • 280
      Yes, Its their body.
    • 192
      No, its not very professional.
    • 54
      Other, explain

462 members have participated

Do you think it is ok if a nurse or a doctor smokes? Because i know when i go to the doctors office with my boyfriend and he tells him that he smokes that he gos on and on of how he shouldnt be smoking at all. But then we go outside and see nurses smoking and such!! So what do you guys think?

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My mom always asks me how I can still smoke after seeing how it damages my body. I always tell her, it's an informed decision. She usually gets a little peeved but I know it's cause she loves me. I will quit someday but not til I'M ready. I think it is a personal choice.

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I couldn't care less if other nurses smoke or not - it IS an informed decision. Just don't expect me to watch your patients for you 5-6 times a day while you go out to "huff and puff".

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As health care professionals we are suppose to educate our pt. about the health risk associated with smoking;if we do it why should our pt's not do it, why should they listen to us. Are we immune from illness because we are health care professionals.

"Practise what we preach."

:confused:

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We psych nurses rely on the "cognitive dissonance" defence for smoking!

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Originally posted by MLL

I couldn't care less if other nurses smoke or not - it IS an informed decision. Just don't expect me to watch your patients for you 5-6 times a day while you go out to "huff and puff".

You know, I hear a lot on this board about nurses who take a lot of smoke breaks. I would like to know where they work cause I am lucky to get time to pee at work. I am with ya on not watching someone's pts 5-6 times a day......smoking is not an excuse for getting more breaks than anyone else!

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I am a smoker and wish I had time for "smoke breaks"!! I too barely have time to pee!!

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Originally posted by BelindaLPN

You know, I hear a lot on this board about nurses who take a lot of smoke breaks. I would like to know where they work cause I am lucky to get time to pee at work. I am with ya on not watching someone's pts 5-6 times a day......smoking is not an excuse for getting more breaks than anyone else!

I don't know where you've seen this on the boards, because I never have. It IS an informed decision. If I get a break, I will go smoke. But, if I work 12 hours and don't get a break at all, that's OK too. On my unit, I usually don't get a break because the others before me take a 1/2 hour instead of 15 so there is no time left for the rest of us. Pizzes me off.

Kristy

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Unfortunately, I smoke too but I call myself a closet smoker because I'm so ashamed to be a nurse (LVN) who smokes. It just feels like I'm a total hypocrite. I agree about the smoke breaks though. There's no excuse to leave a busy floor just to puff on a cancer stick. I never have time to anyways and even if I did there's always charting to do. I have a little trick I do before I come on the floor after a cigarette. I spray myself with a little Febreeze I keep in my purse and pop a breath mint. Febreeze is great because it's strong enough to mask the nasty smoke smell but light enough that it won't be obvious or offensive or allergy inducing to patients and staff. Wow, I sound like a commercial. Anyways, yes I'm a hypocrite and yes I've tried to quit but as long as it doesn't interfere with my job performance and my patients don't know it, then it's my business. Okay, nuff said.

Jenn

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Specializes in Hospice and Palliative Care, Family NP.

I quit smoking almost 16 months ago. The smell of smoke makes me physically sick. I wonder many times, how many patient's I made sick because I smelled like an ashtray? Quitting is so very hard, but so worth it!

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I am cautious when I say anything about smokers. I am an ex-smoker who found quitting very difficult. It is so much easier to do as I say not as I do. Often when we can't get control of something in our own life we try harder to convince someone else to do it. WE can only be accountable for ourselves, but maybe trying to convince someone else to change a bad habit will give us strength to make a change to the better for ourselves. Criticism has never been a good motivator for me. I am more apt to change when I am praised for the good I have done. Bringing up a subject to change when a person is not ready will sometimes only create more anxiety and push them farther away from the changes we want. Often too we are hardest on ourselves when we fail to make the changes we want and tansfer these feelings to others. It is best to search our hearts regarding ourselves before we try to ellicit a change in others. Our success stories may be the catalyst someone needs to begin their journey of change. Sincerely, Constance Ann

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Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

You know as a smoker .... and a Floor Nurse at one time and now an OR nurse, I very seldom had time to myself to go pee muchless go out and smoke multiple times. I smoked on my lunch break... I would love to know where these nurses work that get so many breaks????? Im not one for tossing the fact that I smoke either there are a few at work that even know I smoke.... but I have yet to get on a soap box and tell someone who is an adult what they can do with their body.... Its not my business, as an adult you make your own choices in this lifetime, You will have to live with your own decisions.... isnt there something else we can harp on besides the Smoking Nurse....... I really havent met anyone perfect in my lifetime why should I think one exsists?

Zoe

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