Should smokers be admitted into the nursing program?

[Elly Aker]

Hey, I am a pre nursing student and trying to write a persuasive speech on why smokers should not be allowed to apply for the nursing program.

What do you think? Should they/should they not? Why

My reasoning was that A) they are being hypocritical by deliberately mistreating their body while giving health advise to patients and B) the nursing program is so competitive and by eliminating smokers, there would be more openings for admittance, let me know what you think

[laurah4k]

I can't tell from your original post if you picked this topic or if it was picked for you. I don't agree with the statement, but here's a few thoughts. You could argue that smoking causes known negative health effects and therefore a smoking nurse would most likely have more call outs due to illness than a non smoking nurse. Also, a nurse who is more succeptable to respitory disease/infections and more likely to contract said infections would be more likely to transmit the illness to already compromised patients.

I dont think smoking makes you less able to be a nurse, less intelligent or less committed to the profession. Good luck writing your paper, it seems you've got a hot button topic on your hands:smokin:!

[anon695]

I've never been a smoker and I think taking up the habit is one of the dumbest things a person can do, but it's legal to smoke cigarettes. Not admitting people to school based on a legal activity that has nothing to do with their academic aptitude is downright fascist.

Were you assigned this topic for your speech class or did you choose it? Because I took a speech class where you had to do a persuasive speech, and I highly recommend picking something as non-controversial as possible. By being controversial, you run the risk of getting on the teacher's bad side and getting a lower grade, not to mention the ire of your classmates.

[lrobinson5]

IMO the only thing barring someone from nursing school is something that will bar them from getting a license. If you have a felony and can't get a nursing license what is the point of going through school?

I think we should really teach nursing students that it might not be long for a smoker to be barred from working at non-smoking facilities. To not allow them to go to school because they are addicted to cigarettes (I don't know many smokers that DON'T want to quit) is wrong. Have support groups to help your fellow classmates quit smoking, please don't chastise them.

[cgravier]

when I was in the hospital for my appendectomy the nurses were kind enough to show me where I could grab a quick smoke on my floor.

another thing psych patients not only are allowed to smoke but it is in a way theraputic for them to do so.

[Student4_life]

I always question the motives of a pre-nursing student that comes up with a way to lessen the size of the competition.

I hate smoking, I hate the smell, I don't hate the smokers.

I agree with everyone else on here that if the ban on smokers were to happen all other risky behavior would have to be banned too: sex, driving a car, eating anything from a fast food place, military service, red meat... The list goes on an on an on.

Sure smokers should be forced to pay higher insurance premiums, but to use them to lower the playing field, no.

If you want to be considered before most smokers (not that smokers get bad grades, just that very few people get perfect grades) get a 4.0, not only will it really help you get into NS, but it is likely to open the door for scholarships.

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

And nurses shouldn't watch Mediaography, have affairs, have sex, drink alcohol, gossip. Nurses should only behave like Florence Nightingale. In fact, maybe nurses should be recruited from convents--only those married to God would be allowed to practice nursing, right?

[NICURN2013]

I'm not a smoker, but I'm getting really annoyed with all the hatred toward smokers lately. I hear it ALL THE TIME in school. I don't agree with smoking, but since when did nurses get so judgemental? I thought we were in school to learn how to help people. OP, did you forget that nurses can be patients too? Everyone has things they're not proud of, wish they could stop/change, etc.. NO ONE is perfect. Some people smoke, others drink, some have a eating problem, while others are anorexic, etc, etc, etc. It shouldn't matter what people do outside of school. It's your job to think about your future patients, not your future classmates and what problems they may have that'll give you a leg up in admissions!

[elkpark]

another thing psych patients not only are allowed to smoke but it is in a way theraputic for them to do so.

(Not sure what this has to do with smokers being admitted to nursing school but, just for the record, clients are not allowed to smoke in most inpatient psych settings any more -- that started to change quite a few years ago. Nicotine patches and gum are usually ordered for smokers, but there is no smoking inside the buildings and, in most cases, clients are either not able/allowed to go outdoors, or, if they are, smoking is not allowed on the grounds.)

[itri4vt]

I've been applying to a lot of hospitals, and one of the hospital systems sent an email to me, the applicant, stating that as of March 1, the post-offer, pre-employment drug screening will include nicotine. I was pretty shocked by this bold move, but also relieved that due to the new rule, some of my competition would be screened out!

How long is nicotine in your system anyway? And they did not mention that it would be included in any random drug screens during employment, just for after they offer you a job.

Here is a copy of the email:

Dear Applicant,

As an active applicant for a position with ********, please be advised that effective March 1, 2011, ******** will be implementing a nicotine-free hiring program. Nicotine will be added to list of substances screened for during the post-offer, pre-employment testing for all external job candidates offered employment. A positive test for nicotine, regardless of the source, will eliminate a job candidate from employment consideration.

Candidates who accept a contingent employment offer prior to March 1, 2011 will not be affected.

Best regards,

Human Resources Department

********

I don't smoke, but I know several smokers who struggled with quitting. Often they utilized gum or patches to help ease the process... sucks that those who've made a decision and are taking action on quitting will be screened out.

[MILLERMARIA08]

Are you kidding me?!?! Thats like telling someone if you drink, or if your a christian!!! Who was dumb enough to write this anyway!!! I was a smoker for 10 years and now have recieved many scholarships because of how good of a nurse I am. So saying someething like this just proves that your not a good, kind enough person to be a nurse! Find another career that needs judgemental people instead!

[legend0710]

For the most part, I am very impressed with everybody who posted the responses they did. The sheer fact your going to school to be a nurse or are a nurse shows already that you not only want the money, but decided to earn a living caring for other human beings.

Alot of the responses started out with "I am NOT a smoker" almost like there is an unspoken shame in being a smoker?

So far the following has taken place over the years:

Smokers may not smoke in any public establishment including bars

Smokers may not smoke within 50-300 feet from the entrance to any public place

Smokers may not smoke in our public parks

Smokers may not smoke in their own vehicles with anyone under 16

Smoker must refrain from smoking in areas (even legal ones) where children can see it

Smokers must go outside their homes to smoke if a non smoker complains or DSS will be called

Smokers may not smoke in the parking lots or on the property of Walmart, Target, Lowes etc

Smokers may not be hired in certain professions and will be tested for nicotine prior to hiring.

A pack of cigarettes in NY is close to $10.00 a pack - $100.00 a carton!

With that said, and seeing the rights of a legal activity being done by a law abiding citizen, being taken away it absolutely amazed me to see the subject heading here on Allnurses.com. Beating down smokers has been so heavy and so pro active over the past decade I have wondered if there isnt something more behind it?

When I did my training in the local hospital for my EMT-D all the doctors and most of the nurses smoked outside. Yes this surprised me as the media says smoking kills and is so bad etc... Not that it doesnt just saying.

Now I expect to see the following take place in the next 10 years:

USPS banned the shipping of tobacco already,

Fed Ex banned the shipping of tobacco already

UPS banned the shipping of tobacco already

Planned parenthood already stopped giving out the pill if your over 35 and are a smoker

Credit card companies to deny credit to smokers as they could use the card to buy tobacco products.

DMV's to ban license to smokers as they could use their car to drive to buy tobacco

Public transportation to ban smokers as their smokers cough could cause a pandemic

Insurance companies to take final step in denying coverage to a smoker

When I see posts like this in this venue I cant help but fear that a Dr. and or nurses could very well offer me medical treatment for something totally unrelated to smoking in a sub sufficient way to speed my demise and there by lower the cost of medical needs? With all the stigma and beating down of a smoker nobody can say with certainty this wont or hasnt already happened?

If the OP chose this subject for her / his paper, then it is people like him/her who has caused such a ruckus over a legal activity, If it was the professor who assigned the paper, then it is being forced down the throats of all students to stigmatize smokers from the education on down the line.

On channel 10 a commercial will come on and say that smoking is the number 1 leading cause of death in the US

On chennel 21 a commercial will say that Obesity is the number 1 leading cause of death in the US

On channel 48 a commercial will say that Hypertension is the number one leading cause of death in the US

With so many different number one caused of death out there what the hell is the actual number one cause? All of your new non FDA approved medicine commercials out there have a statement now that says not to take the meds if you smoke as it can increase the risks of this and that? really?

5+ years ago there was a series of commercials from the public service commission that leaned towards the children and smoking. How easy it was for them to see ciggerette posters in the stores, how the stores were forced to move the poster off the main counter and on to the wall behind them? so what the child cant read it if its on a wall only if its on a counter?

Then a year later there were 2 commercials where the same agency ran 2 commercials depicting two to five year olds smoking a cigarette in their mouth, bragging about how each were dying of lung cancer, heart disease and the like? Now whos exploiting children? It was obviously never about children.

All in all I cant for the life of me figure out why Americans havent stood up in solidarity to voice their distain towards the out right theft of rights where it comes to making a life choice in smoking a legal substance, etc and so it continues on and on and on.

As a fire chief/EMT-D I have responded to so many deaths over the years caused by drinking, pills, illegal drugs, a few gun shots, but I can say to all of you with certainty that never because someone was smoking and died. Yes it takes time and my mother of 84 years old is still taking her time while smoking, but then so dies drinking when it destroys the liver, and obesity when it caused the hypertension, and there are a slew of others.

In closing, I sincerely hope with all my heart that when the time comes and I must be hospitalized for anything at all, that I do not get a nurse with the OP view, even questioning it as I am positive I will get much better treatment, much more dignified care from anyone else than he/her.

PS: I wont mention all the side effects of the new meds on tv and how many of them even have in their disclaimer that side effect includes DEATH! really?

[Gurmo]

I like how the OP never replied. haha.

I smoked when I applied to the program. Now I can say that I've been smoke free for quite some time because of what I learned in nursing school. Basically prior to nursing school I only thought about lung and throat cancer. I had no idea how bad it was affecting my vascular system. When I was doing clinicals on a med-surg floor, I don't know how many DM II + CHF + CAD + etc etc who also smoked. My state has a high rate of smokers and many of the people that I dealt with were smokers. This really lead me to quit smoking because I didn't want to be 55 and taking a bunch of meds!

Incidentally, nursing school also led me to lose weight (after I graduated that is) and I work out on a more frequent basis. Since it helped me live my life better, I find that I can talk to others about their daily habits as well.