Nursing, Smoking, and Kids

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jul 23, 2008

I agree with you that they shouldn't be smoking around the kids,let alone smoking at all. Given your description of the relationship you have with them, I'd suggest minding your own business.

You can't save everyone. That's a fact of medicine.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2008

I agree, if they are bothering you with their smoke you could say something, but if they don't do it around you, then I would mind my own business.

lsyorke, RN · Jul 23, 2008

Being a health care professional doesn't mean one has the right to start interfering with others lifestyle choices....even if it's something you feel strongly about.

scribblerpnp · Jul 23, 2008

Trust me, if these parents have ever taken the child to their pediatrician, they have heard no-smoking-around-the-kids talk lots of times. You can say something if you want, but be prepared for the relationship to change between you and them. In my opinion, unless they ask for for my opinion, I'd keep my mouth shut.

I am a PNP and live in an area where I would say a good 60-75% of my pts live with parents who smoke. I can talk about the disadvantages and danger until I'm blue in the face. But like many things, unless the parents are willing to change the behavior, the only change I'm going to make is my face going from pink to blue.

I am NOT a smoker and I DO NOT condone smoking around kids EVER. But lots of kids grow up around 2nd hand smoke and lead perfectly happy, healthy lives and never pick up the habit themselves. Admittedly, it does and can do a lot of damage to children and adults. I continue to fight the war, but some times there are bigger fish to fry. I would take exposure to second hand smoke for a child over allowing their child to be morbidly obese ANY day.

If the only poor parenting choice of these people is the smoking, maybe they aren't such horrible parents after all.

And in your future career of nursing, there will be plenty of times where you will feel the need to put in your two cents, and sometimes you shouldn't. Consider this scenario practice.

I'm not being mean or hateful, just being honest.

nurseshepherd · Jul 23, 2008

It is hard to watch but like one of the previous posters said, these folks have almost certainly been warned. The kids will suffer and these same parents will scratch their heads wondering why they are sick all the time but never get it. We had a 2 PPD woman deliver a couple years ago and her baby died at age 3 or 4 months, ruled SIDS. She is pregnant again and is now listening to all the warnings about smoking during pregnancy and is down to 1/2 PPD, a huge improvement. I've never had to deal with an addiction, so I truly don't know what smokers go through trying to quit but it must be a nightmare.

JettaDP · Jul 23, 2008

It is hard to watch but like one of the previous posters said, these folks have almost certainly been warned. The kids will suffer and these same parents will scratch their heads wondering why they are sick all the time but never get it. We had a 2 PPD woman deliver a couple years ago and her baby died at age 3 or 4 months, ruled SIDS. She is pregnant again and is now listening to all the warnings about smoking during pregnancy and is down to 1/2 PPD, a huge improvement. I've never had to deal with an addiction, so I truly don't know what smokers go through trying to quit but it must be a nightmare.

I'm not a nurse yet, so I don't know what 2 PPD or 1/2 PPD is.......

Well, everyone, thanks for your advice. Everyone has basically said the same thing so I think I will take everyones advice and not say anything. I don't want to burn bridges and saying anything will probably not help at all. They probably have heard it many times before. And even if they haven't, my voice probably won't help anyways. It's disappointing. I just wish there was something I could do. But since there isn't, I will just keep hoping that maybe someday they will quit for the sake of their children.

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jul 23, 2008

I'm not a nurse yet, so I don't know what 2 PPD or 1/2 PPD is.......
Well, everyone, thanks for your advice. Everyone has basically said the same thing so I think I will take everyones advice and not say anything. I don't want to burn bridges and saying anything will probably not help at all. They probably have heard it many times before. And even if they haven't, my voice probably won't help anyways. It's disappointing. I just wish there was something I could do. But since there isn't, I will just keep hoping that maybe someday they will quit for the sake of their children.

I am not a nurse either however i am assuming pack per day

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2008

I am not a nurse either however i am assuming pack per day

PPD=Pack Per Day

beachbum3 · Jul 23, 2008

I smoke, am a nurse, and have kids. We (SO and I) smoke outside, and if the kids are in the car keep the windows all the way down and cigarettes outside the car, if we even smoke with them in the car. Most of the time we don't. At times we smoked inside the house, but that was only when the kids were upstairs in bed, and we were in the basement.

Do you know they are not taking the same precautions? I mean, I'll smoke when they are around (ie outside while they are playing) but I make sure to tell them to not come near me when I'm smoking.

My kids don't have health problems- no asthma, no frequent sicknesses etc. The only time they were frequently sick was when they started daycare. (Which is to be expected)

I just think its a huge jump to call smokers who have kids child abusers.

I don't think you should say anything. Its really not your place.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jul 23, 2008

... I will just keep hoping that maybe someday they will quit for the sake of their children.

You don't quit for your family or friends, you quit for yourself. Won't happen any other way IMHO.

Sean04 · Jul 23, 2008

You feel obligated to do something because you are a "future nurse"? Really?

You need to mind your own business.