Pa hospital system won't hire smokers

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

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....

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.
Will this stand up in court do you think.
As the ACLU lawyer said, smokers are not a protected class. As a former smoker who can smell it a mile away, I'm grateful. When I had my recent surgery, someone who no one else in the facility knew smoked, was taking care of me. I requested another nurse, as the smoky smell that was coming off of her was horrendous. She didn't deny the habit, and her employer now knows. So what, this doesn't include current employees, although I see a trend that way too. My FT job requires lab work, including nicotine swab once a year as part of our insurance. They have said that eventually the smokers would pay a higher premium. It hasn't happened yet, but in the age of rising healthcare costs, I think it's just around the corner.....
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Are you kidding me? You mean to tell me that EVERY single MD who preaches to you about smoking/quitting, etc...is not a smoker, get real..

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I am a smoker, can't smoke on campus, and there is absoutely NO difficulty with me clocking out a lunch to have a few cigarettes!!! As a matter of fact, half of the nurses on my floor didn't even know I smoked because I don't stink like an ashtray...and mind you I do my fair share of smoking at home and driving to and from work during my 50 mile commute!!!

Now, like someone else mentioned...alcohol should be tested as well, and we all know that being overweight is NOT healthy, which I could care less about if someone is my size or not, but if you want to get technical, how about discriminating against them as well....

Also, what about the RN's who take Narcs while working, hmmm??? I'm very glad that I don't live by that facility because it would be my last choice of places to go. Also, even though our campus if smoke-free, there are tons of visitors and pts. outside smoking ALL THE TIME!!!!

Wake up people, don't you realize that this country is telling you how to live, eat, drink, etc...everyday of your lives. What ever happened to our freedom?????

Well, if you, as a smoker, want to drawn a comparison between smokers and nurses who commit felonies by diverting narcotics, go right ahead. Are you suggesting that they also have some sort of "right" to employment in healthcare? I doubt that people are going to line up to defend that principle ...

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

For those of you who brought up obesity, believe me, it's next on the pike.....many healthcare facilities have "Wellness" programs that correlate with their insurance. Smoking, obesity, and alcohol factors are all on my facilities wellness program. So believe me, we're getting there. BTW, I was morbidly obese, went through all the channels and had bariatric surgery. Not an easy out by any means, but probably saved my life. Like a previous poster stated, obesity is sometimes not a choice--you need food to live, but you definitely don't need smoking! This isn't about our country taking away our freedoms, it's about private employers making the choice to keep healthcare costs down, or at least keep them down for those who make healthy choices.....hopefully, I will continue to make healthy choices for life.................

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Now, like someone else mentioned...alcohol should be tested as well, and we all know that being overweight is NOT healthy, which I could care less about if someone is my size or not, but if you want to get technical, how about discriminating against them as well....

Also, what about the RN's who take Narcs while working, hmmm??? I'm very glad that I don't live by that facility because it would be my last choice of places to go. Also, even though our campus if smoke-free, there are tons of visitors and pts. outside smoking ALL THE TIME!!!!

And here come the scapegoats. Don't target me! look, over there...it's a drinker! It's a drug abuser! It's a puppy dog!

In case you haven't noticed, your opinion is completely invalid here. What you think should and shouldn't be tested really has no influence on the hospitals decision. You don't actually have the right to tell them what to test for. It's at their own discretion. If further down the line, they do choose to test for alchohol and narcotics, that too is their choice. With that said, I do have a problem with RN's that take narcotics, prescription or no.

Wake up people, don't you realize that this country is telling you how to live, eat, drink, etc...everyday of your lives. What ever happened to our freedom?????

Oh no, It's Constitution-man-man-man-man.

In case you haven't noticed, noone's telling you how to live/eat/drink. (In this case anyways, Washington is a completely different story) You have every right to smoke two packs a day as far as anyone else is concerned. Noones trampling on your rights to indulge in your vices. But you know those freedoms you speak so highly of? Bad news hun, they don't -just- apply to you. Turns out, the evil "run-by-the-man" corporations also have freedoms. You see, they don't actually OWE you a job. They still have the freedom to choose who they hire, and what traits they expect in their employees. Whether it be because you're a smoker, a drinker, obese, or because you had the nerve to wear a yankees hat to the interview the day after the world series.

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Good for them. All employers should refuse to hire smokers

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Specializes in GERIATRICS AND PRISON.

I have a few vices, drink, smoke and weigh more then I should. My husband does all the above, served in the military, was in a job for 30 years that required him to be physically fit. Not just one day a year but every day. Hospitalized 3 times (birth, motorcycle accident, and for some bowel problem). So when I tell people about the importance of eating healthy, etc. I tell them it is not easy buty a lifetime of work. My husband has been in the hospital less then may people with no vices. But that may be genetics.

I figure most people listen to me and relize that it will not be easy to lose weight or quit smoking but that it is worth the struggle

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I can't say I see anything wrong with this- you'd be surprised at the number of "breaks" some smokers take. Yeah stay on the floor.

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Specializes in CRNA.

This is a great policy. People that smoke smell horrible. They make it even worse when they try to cover it up with excessive creams, lotions and gum. I'd rather be stuck in a room full of used diapers filled with indian food than have the misfortune of taking a whiff of smoker breath. They are a drain financially on their employers. They endanger the health of patients. Finally, they make life more difficult on their coworkers with their q15-30 minute cancer inhalation treatments. Hopefully more institutions will fall in line with Susquehanna.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
In case you haven't noticed, noone's telling you how to live/eat/drink. (In this case anyways, Washington is a completely different story) You have every right to smoke two packs a day as far as anyone else is concerned. Noones trampling on your rights to indulge in your vices. But you know those freedoms you speak so highly of? Bad news hun, they don't -just- apply to you. Turns out, the evil "run-by-the-man" corporations also have freedoms. You see, they don't actually OWE you a job. They still have the freedom to choose who they hire, and what traits they expect in their employees. Whether it be because you're a smoker, a drinker, obese, or because you had the nerve to wear a yankees hat to the interview the day after the world series.

And then when skyrocketing un-employment goes even higher because every corporation jumps on this bandwagon what happens? It's a slippery slope. Maybe next they'll decide not to hire women of childbearing age-after all they can do what they want,right? Why take the time to train an employee that will probably get knocked up, take maternity leave and then miss time because of sick kids? Why not check our cholesterol,too? How about testing me for allergies? Put me on the "do not hire" list because they may flare up and cause me to miss work a few times a year. How about some genetics testing? Exclude anyone with the spector of some dread disease in their future.O wait-that IS illegal.-per EOE laws-as is everything else I mentioned...I can see that all changing sometime in the near furture-it's scary..

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And then when skyrocketing un-employment goes even higher because every corporation jumps on this bandwagon what happens?

That's like blaming the current unemployment levels on people who smoke weed. Don't expect any pity from me because you cant get your act together and clean up to keep a job.

I chose to disregard all those other things because I found them largely irrelevant. Comparing genetics or reproductive health to smoking is just silly talk. Who's my silly little goose? You are. -rubs your tummy- Thats right, you are. Good boy!

And as a reminder, I'm all for tobacco and marijuana. I gave up one to open doors to employment opportunities. If it came down to it, i'd have no problem doing it again. My financial health comes first, so you all can whine and moan about how you're being discriminated against all you want. Good luck with the unemployment lines, at least you'll have your principles.

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