Hello! I am very excited to announce that our hospital is going "Smoke Free" on November 19th! Currently, there is a designated smoking area for staff and patients that is located conveniently in front of the front lobby. Nice huh?
The new policy will not allow anyone to smoke within 36 yards of the facility. There will be no more doctor's orders for a patient to leave the floor for a smoke break. If the patient decides to go down for a smoke they will have to sign themselves out of the hospital and go AMA. As for the staff members, theyw ill be offereed smoking cessation assistance. If they are caught smoking on property, they will get written up as it is a breach in policy.
I am interested to hear what other hospitals are doing to attack this problem of smoking at a hospital!
I hate to see cigarette butts everywhere. Sometimes I wish a cop was around to ticket someone for littering when smokers think the world is their ashtray. You wanna smoke? Fine, do it where it isn't going to bother people and clean up after yourself.
Well if a patient wants to smoke then they are given a release form for them to leave the unit to smoke. It basically says that treatment will be delayed and/or discontinue while there gone and they can't sue us if something happens. They can then go to a designated area for them. NOBODY else can go to that area but them. If they still refuse to go to that designated area. The police are called. What they do I don't know. The MD is aware that there gone so I guess they can do whatever they want to them.
I suppose I'm spoiled because this is such a non-issue where I live. I remember how shocked I was went I went to a restaurant in Alabama a few years ago and the place reeked of smoke. I saw a lady smoking a cigarette and I was like "I can't believe that lady is smoking in here!" Then everyone looked at me like I was the crazy one.
I suppose I'm spoiled because this is such a non-issue where I live. I remember how shocked I was went I went to a restaurant in Alabama a few years ago and the place reeked of smoke. I saw a lady smoking a cigarette and I was like "I can't believe that lady is smoking in here!" Then everyone looked at me like I was the crazy one.
I'm spoiled, also,I guess...here in the Northeast, restaurants, bars, etc are smokefree. There are some exceptions, though. If the pace has an outside deck, etc then it's allowed:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire
The major hospital in my North Ga area just recently won a lawsuit over a patient who sued because she fell down an unlit stairwell outside while smoking. The hospital's attorney argued that she was in violation of the hospitals policy of smoking on the premises and the jury agreed. The lady broke her ankle and wasn't awarded anything beyond the hospital bill for the ankle which the hospital viewed as a win because she was asking for upwards of 200k if I remember correctly.
At my former hospital in a medium sized town, employees had to go to their cars to smoke. Patients/families/guests could smoke outside... but our state passed a law so they had to be 25 feet from any doors or windows. It Pretty much put them in the parking lot.
My new hospital in a larger town doesn't have strict rules, just the state 25ft law. It blows me away to look out an ICU window and see staff smoking.
I should add that I'm in Washington state... we have a smoking ban in public places. It's pretty fabulous to go to a bar to hang out and NOT have to strip down and shower the smoke out of my hair as soon as I get home. My dad was a smoker when they implemented it and he even thinks it's a good idea and that people should never smoke inside. He's since quit smoking and now gets how irritating it is.
Tobacco is no different than other illegal drugs except that it passed legislation; by definition should be a class I-II narcotic. Alcohol a schedule III. Both kill more than all illegal drugs combined.
I wonder what the corporate suppliers of psychedelic mushrooms have to say about this? LOL! :brnfrt:
1776patriot
34 Posts
I hate to see cigarette butts everywhere. Sometimes I wish a cop was around to ticket someone for littering when smokers think the world is their ashtray. You wanna smoke? Fine, do it where it isn't going to bother people and clean up after yourself.