Pa hospital system won't hire smokers

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if it is affecting their performance, that's one thing. but it's ridiculous to generalize ALL smokers for smelling of smoke and needing smoke breaks "every hour." honestly, would that even be possible for most nurses? if it's not affecting their performance at work then it's not the hospitals business. not all smokers take advantage of their breaks or smell like smoke when they return.

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It is hypocritical to talk to a patient about smoking cessation when you 1. reek of smoke or 2. the patient saw you smoking outside prior to going into the hospital/clinic/etc. How can you expect a patient to stop smoking when you aren't practicing what you preach? Hmmm....

it really depends on how you talk to the patient. if you are educating the patient about the health problems and concerns with smoking, that is different than telling them they need to quit and they need to do it right now. that would be hypocritical. and once again we are assuming that all smokers reek of smoke etc. which clearly is not even true.

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if it is affecting their performance, that's one thing. but it's ridiculous to generalize ALL smokers for smelling of smoke and needing smoke breaks "every hour." honestly, would that even be possible for most nurses? if it's not affecting their performance at work then it's not the hospitals business. not all smokers take advantage of their breaks or smell like smoke when they return.

i do smoke but i carry a toothbrush and light body mist and i always wash my hands before i touch n e resident...and i can go 12 hours without a cig....ppl smoke for many different reasons i think i do it for stress or bordem..i do agree if facilities say that this is a smoke free facility please don't smoke on our facility the truth to the matter i have been saying is the cost that they are worried about...and we all know that...the thing that upsets me is we won't hire smokers..i think that is ridiculas...

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it really depends on how you talk to the patient. if you are educating the patient about the health problems and concerns with smoking, that is different than telling them they need to quit and they need to do it right now. that would be hypocritical. and once again we are assuming that all smokers reek of smoke etc. which clearly is not even true.

i agree...and what if the lung cancer isn't caused from smoking what if they are non smokers with lung cancer i have heard of plenty of cases...and the truth is i think that there are other things that causes cancer than just smoking...and ppl say u cant cover up smoke smell u definitely can...

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Specializes in NICU.

Dear people who smoke:

You THINK you don't reek but oooohh you do!!!

My bro-in-law smoked for year on end. Always said "it doesn't smell here" referring to his house, and "i don't smell like a smoker" and good lord did he reek of ashtray!

Yes, smoking is one's choice-disgusting choice-but I would NEVER want a nurse who smokes taking care of me!

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Actually, I worked with a closet smoker. She smoked at home and occasionally on her lunch break. I never once saw her do it or smelled her. I worked with her for over a year before I knew, I would have never known if she did not slip up and say something about it.

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blah, blah, blah....go have a cigarette, have a toke, drink a beer, eat a bag of milky ways, etc, etc, etc.......ppl will and can do whatever they darn well please, nobody said we have to like it.....and I don't really give a hoot about anyone's opinion....

The problem is that only one of those behaviors is going to impact me as a patient (OK, so as a patient I'm not crazy about my nurse having a toke or beer before caring for me either, but those are already disallowed at work).

Smoking directly effects me as a patient. I'm asthmatic, and have had to request another nurse in the ED (not easy when you're gasping for air after every couple words) because the first one reeked of cigarettes. Cigarette smoke (even on someone's clothing if I'm already flared up) is a HUGE trigger for me, it's nuts that I have to request another nurse because the first one was making me sicker by their presence.

I don't know much about the impact to the employee insurance plan....but I do know that I would prioritize going to a hospital that I knew hired only non-smoking employees. I don't give a rat's a$$ what folks do on their own time.... but having to run a gauntlet into a hospital through smoking employees and then having to get another nurse because my first one smelled of cigarettes and was making my breathing worse....well, that I care about.

And for those saying obesity is next...I guess that may be true if this is insurance driven, but from a patient care perspective, it's not in the same universe. I don't care if my nurse has a 25 MilkyWay a day habit. I'll still breathe just fine when they're standing next to me.

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i agree...and what if the lung cancer isn't caused from smoking what if they are non smokers with lung cancer i have heard of plenty of cases...and the truth is i think that there are other things that causes cancer than just smoking...and ppl say u cant cover up smoke smell u definitely can...

You don't think smoking causes cancer...

Are you seriously a medical professional? Or do you just play one on the internet?

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i agree...and what if the lung cancer isn't caused from smoking what if they are non smokers with lung cancer i have heard of plenty of cases...and the truth is i think that there are other things that causes cancer than just smoking...and ppl say u cant cover up smoke smell u definitely can...

The smell might be covered, but the chemicals aren't.

I tend to have secondary reactions to second hand smoke (if I'm not already flared up). All that happens when I'm around someone a lot who has "covered" their smoke smell, is that when I'm up in the middle of the night d/t an asthma attack, I can't figure out what I was around that day. I've had that happen with two different folks....kept waking up with attacks after being in their presence....then found out after that they smoke.

Once I know they smoke, I can avoid them....but until them, I'm just stuck upping my meds until I figure out who/what it is that's triggering me.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I have been around smokers my entire life, I have never met a smoker that didn't smell unless they had just showered and changed clothes before lighting up again. Over thanksgiving I was with family and they smoke and everyone went outside except one person, they smoked inside. This was a 3500 sq. foot home all an open lay out. I got home and my hoodie still reaked of smoke and I wasn't directly near the person smoking, just in the same room. I have met MANY people that claimed they didn't smell like smoke (self included at one point when I did smoke) but have yet to meet one person that it wasn't true.

Long ago when I smoked and it was winter we would go into the bathroom in my room, shut the door and turn on the fan and smoke out the window. It was a large bathroom, (10x10). I thought it was a good way to keep the smell out of the house because I didn't want my house smelling like smoke. I didn't think it did. I went on vacation for 2 weeks and came home and went to my closet and all my clothes smelled like smoke so bad. I had no idea.

Anyway, so for those saying not all smokers smell like smoke, I beg to differ. JMO

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You don't think smoking causes cancer...

Are you seriously a medical professional? Or do you just play one on the internet?

ummmm maybe u didn't read my post throughly...lung cancer isn't just caused by smoking...asbestos particles that can remain in a persons lung through inhalation, industrial substances, some organic chemicals, exposure to radiation, radon gas which NATURALLY can occur...and ya i am a medical professional..sory to disappoint u!!!!!!

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ummmm maybe u didn't read my post throughly...lung cancer isn't just caused by smoking...asbestos particles that can remain in a persons lung through inhalation, industrial substances, some organic chemicals, exposure to radiation, radon gas which NATURALLY can occur...and ya i am a medical professional..sory to disappoint u!!!!!!

And how is radiation, asbestos, and any other cause the least bit pertinent to this thread? It doesn't make smoking any safer.

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