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

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Smokers get breaks. Since they have to leave the Campus, they get longer breaks. Guess who doesn't get an equal break? The non-smoker. I did a time study while in school back when smoking was legal on the floor. Smokers took 10 min of every hour to smoke, plus their breaks, and lunch. Made extra work for non-smokers. I would think that if you could keep from smelling like an ash tray, it should not be a problem. Some patients are very smoke intolerent. But the nurses that I have worked with these past years did not smell of smokes, used breath freshener, brushed teeth. A can of worms could be opened on this. What about nurses that become diabetic, have seizures, etc.? Should they be kept out of a nursing school or job? If what you do does not cause problems with your job, or intergrity then there is no arguement.

Diabetics are protected under the Americas with Disabilities Act.

Smokers have a drug-addiction to nicotine..that is not protected by law.

[KenH]

I think the overall tone of this thread would qualify as an lesson on what not to do as a nursing student or new grad

Nurses do eat their young

No one knows what kind of nurse the OP will be

I think we all can remember how you were in nurseing school and think you could change the world

[billyboblewis]

If we try to limit smokers to the extreme we will end up with a problem similar to that we have with cocaine, heroin and marijuana....Deadly violence. It is unfortunate that people in this country have never learned from their experience with prohibition. I do not smoke drink or use illegal drugs. I make myself available for those who may need guidance on quitting etc. I do not force my beliefs on others. I am lucky to have started my career in Business administration and understand the law of supply and demand

[terrirn143]

I am not a smoker but I have to agree with the overall consensus here which seems to be if the nursing programs exclude smokers, other "problems" will also have to be excluded, e.g. let's see:

smoking

overweight

obesity

diabetic with medical problems

anyone with a disability (try getting that past the ADA)

anyone who isn't fluent in any language that a patient may speak (now you have a real problem)

people with hypertension

someone who has had procedures such as colostomies, any ostomies which might produce an offensive odor to a patient

anyone who might slip and pass flatus and offend anyone

I think my point is that if you start with smokers, eventually everyone will be excluded. Surely the program you are trying to get into has better subjects with which to stimulate your intellectual status rather than the one you are writing on but like someone else said, "It's your paper, not mine." Good luck.

Terri

[rn4me2be]

I'm not allowed to go to clinical smelling like my favorite perfume. Why am I allowed to go to clinical smelling like an ashtray (which is from a lethal addiction)?

I grew up smelling like an ashtray because both parents smoked. My dad died of lung cancer 4 months ago.

[rn4me2be]

anyone who isn't fluent in any language that a patient may speak (now you have a real problem)

anyone who might slip and pass flatus and offend anyone

[/u][/i][/b]

Do you counsel your patients against the dangerous health habit of speaking a different language than you?? Do you teach your patients that it is not healthy to pass flatus?? We're talking about teaching your patient that smoking is not healthy and then going to take a smoke break.

[JPolo]

For the person who said a few pages back that alot of people are starting off with " i am NOT a smoker" and saying its because smoking is shameful is not true... Personally, i started my reply off that way only to state that i am speaking from the opposite point of view.. If no one said that, people could assume they are smokers and only replying and defending it because they smoke and dont want to be excluded. I wanted it known i am speaking as a person who doesnt even LIKE smoke... i have nothing against the smokers, just the smoke and the idea of it... i try to avoid it.. but i do not feel as though it should be used as a way of weeding out nursing school applicants.

i also feel that it is WAY too hard to get into nursing school to begin with between all the pre-req requirements and testing to be done, there doesnt really need to be ANY MORE reasons for people to not get accepted especially one such as a habit/hobby. Like i said.. as long as they dont smell of smoke on their shift.. who cares..

[billyboblewis]

I really dont think it is fair to exclude smokers but with the glut of nurses who are looking for work this would certainly make life a lot easier for us non smokers.

[malenurse82]

smoking is an addiction ailment, a nurse with a heart ailment is not a "hypocrite" if s/he works in a cardiac unit... and also, why do we need more spots "open" for nurses? Maybe, do we need more support for colleges and universities to open more nursing students?????

none of my business, but if I was your instructor, I would probably not encourage my student to continue with this assignment with the premise with which you have started.

I think much more interesting is what is the role of the health-care system (i.e. the employer) in smoking cessation initiatives...

...and a totally different question is the issue of nursing education, i really fail to see a connection between these two issues....

[ascnbe, ADN, RN]

I am not a smoker. I tried it once when I was 11 and didn't like it. I never smoked again. It is legal to smoke, although banned in many places and the number of places is growing. It is a choice that falls under the heading of things I defended when I was in the service. Like the freedom for all of us to post our opinions here. As long as you do it where it does not effect me, it's your lungs, have at it. Employers are now checking things like your Facebook Page to determine your personality before hiring. Where does it stop? I find it scary to think that we are being put under this type of microscopic examination for JOB. I like nursing, I have been doing it for 16 years, but it is a job. I do not believe in "callings" unless your schizoprhenic, or one of your teeth is a real blue tooth. If you come to work and do your job, treat your patients like you would want to be treated and you smoke in the area they have banned you to go, that should be it. I think employers are getting way too much power over our personal lives. Same goes for the state boards and the government (not sure if there is a distinction there). I just read an article about a teacher that lost her job because she had a picture on her Facebook of her on vacation with a beer in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Nothing to indicate either one was hers, she was just holding them and smiling (why would she be smiling unless she was guilty of something, right?)

I don't want to be stuck in a room with someone smoking, I also don't like to watch sports on tv, so I have a choice.

My local state board just put out a letter suggesting that all nurses taking any mood altering medications should be required to inform their employer. They are referring to narcotics and benzos, but shouldn't that also include antidepressants, insulin, over the counter cold and flu meds. I hate working with those nurses that come to work still impaired from that Nyquil they took the night before for the flu. (that part was a joke, for the benefit of the humor deficient). Again where does it all end? Losing your right to earn a living for doing something that is still legal, like smoking tobacco or having a picture of you taken out of context, or taking a lortab after you get off a 12 shift because you need a knee replacement. The cigarette and the lortab would still be in your system the next day even if you did not use them at work. The picture could be from 2 years ago. If George Orwell thought the hypothetical 1984 was going to be scary imagine what he would think about the reality of 2011.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Arthur C. Clarke

[Rathyen]

Ok, someone said that a smoker spends 10 minutes of every hour smoking. That is bull. No employer or school is going to allow that and honestly, there are very few people that smoke THAT much... Do you know how many cigarettes I had yesterday on my 12.5 hour shift. None. Do not lump all smokers into one category.

Maybe next you'll find my tattoos socially unacceptable and I shouldn't be allowed to practice nursing anymore for that either.

Nurses are the most judgmental people I have ever seen.

[AlleycatLPN]

This thread is never going to go away! Ahhhhhhhh!