Smokers need not apply?

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So I've reached my 2 year mark & getting a little restless, toying with the idea of moving into a different dept or facility. I was looking at a website for another hospital & they have posted that they will no longer hire anyone that uses nicotine which will be screened for during the employment physical. Not an issue for me, but I found the bold underlined statement a little jarring. I understand that in healthcare we want to promote healthy lifestyles, but dictating personal legal habits to employees is a bit of a push don't you think? Is this common in other areas & just reaching my neck of the woods?

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I'm not talking about the law itself. I'm talking about the assessed penalty one owes if choosing to remain uninsured in 2014. The penalty that gets higher each year.

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Again, something that is NOT. A. penalty...tax, something that the IRS will get....or not, depending on how one files; I'm sure people will find a way around it...it's the American way. ;)

Now back to the thread...:yes:

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Specializes in PACU, pre/postoperative, ortho.

Haven't been back on here for a while; thanks for the replies.

I'm not a smoker & while I agree that facilities should be smoke-free/discourage any smoke breaks, not considering an applicant for a job based on a lifestyle choice seems very intolerant to me. I'm lucky to not have asthma & probably have a poor sense of smell anyway (nothing much seems to bother me) but I do realize it is an issue with other co-workers & patients. My facility does give an incentive discount on our insurance premium for not only the employee being tobacco free but also the spouse.

And for existing employees who smoke, encouragement & support to quit is great but to then threaten loss of that job if they are unable to quit within a specified time period (I think above someone gave a 1 year time frame)? That's harsh. What about the physicians & support personnel who are not actually employees of the facility?

Guess what will be, will be & this one facility in my area that has this policy is probably just the first.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.
I wouldn't count on that. If you smoke a cigarette after you have gotten up and showered, you smell of cigarettes, I don't care how many mints you eat or how much gum, etc. Smokers have a distinctive breath smell also, no matter how you try to disguise it. Smokers often find this hard to believe, because their sense of smell is affected by years of smoking, but people who don't smoke can smell even the smallest hint of smoke. Just because not everyone called you on your habit doesn't mean that "no one" knew you smoked. I recently noticed the smell of cigarette smoke on a coworker. I never said a word, would never say a word. If she said that she smoked and no one every knew, I would not likely contradict her, even though she would be wrong.

It's really almost impossible to hide the fact that you are a smoker unless you are only smoking once a week or something. Even if you were able to eradicate it from your breath with mints (and you really can't), it's in your hair, your clothes, your skin.

I'm sorry, but that's the truth.

I disagree. Im not saying this may be true for some smokers, and certainly if I've recently smoked yes, I'll smell of it. When I say no one knew I smoked I really do mean it. I've gone out with co-workers who have flat out told me "wow I didn't know you smoked. You don't ever smell like it" I really do believe its a myth that all smokers always smell like smoke. If someone doesn't smell you wouldn't know, would you? Yes, you can tell when someone absolutely smokes if they wreak of it but some of us do actually practice good hygiene and contrary to popular belief not every single smoker smells like smoke all of the time. People believe this to be true because of the smokers who do smell like smoke. I guarantee you there are smokers you work with that hide it and no one is the wiser. I do know how bad it smells, I have quit for short periods of time.

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Anyone else find it funny that drug addicts and alcoholics are mollycoddled and defended as "victims of a disease" but smokers are openly and happily bashed for their addiction??

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I understand that plenty of people like to blame Obama for anything and everything that they don't like, but this trend started long before the Affordable Care Act was even being talked about as a possibility; it's not an effect of "Obamacare."

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I understand that plenty of people like to blame Obama for anything and everything that they don't like but this trend started long before the Affordable Care Act was even being talked about as a possibility; it's not an effect of "Obamacare."[/quote']

THIS. :yes:

I worked at a hospital that went smoke free and started charging higher premiums to smokers in 2005; if they enrolled in smoking cessation, they were credited 30 bucks a pay for participating.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Anyone else find it funny that drug addicts and alcoholics are mollycoddled and defended as "victims of a disease" but smokers are openly and happily bashed for their addiction??

Umm...at least not in this thread...if anything, most posters issues are the ones who leave the floor to take additional breaks to smoke...and that is not reasonable.

If anything else, posters have commented that smoking is a EXTREMELY hard habit to quit.

Any addiction is a "disease"...some are more at the expense of public health...smoking is one of them, as well as drinking, even drugs...I have seen the effects of each in my practice, whether it be to the person, their family, or another party that had NOTHING to do with the person-at least for drugs, and alcohol; although second-hand smoke can trigger asthma, even status asthmaticus so YES each of them.

A a nurse, and a hopefully emotionally mature person aware of my own issues, past, present and future, I don't "happily bash" ones addictions; but to justify "protected class", um, NO :no: that's not going to be respected.:no:

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.
Umm...at least not in this thread...if anything, most posters issues are the ones who leave the floor to take additional breaks to smoke...and that is not reasonable.

If anything else, posters have commented that smoking is a EXTREMELY hard habit to quit.

Any addiction is a "disease"...some are more at the expense of public health...smoking is one of them, as well as drinking, even drugs...I have seen the effects of each in my practice, whether it be to the person, their family, or another party that had NOTHING to do with the person-at least for drugs, and alcohol; although second-hand smoke can trigger asthma, even status asthmaticus so YES each of them.

A a nurse, and a hopefully emotionally mature person aware of my own issues, past, present and future, I don't "happily bash" ones addictions; but to justify "protected class", um, NO :no: that's not going to be respected.:no:

I mostly agree with you, lady. I do get the feeling though, (and maybe its just me being overly-sensitive and ashamed that I do smoke) that a lot of posters don't have tolerance for it in general. Even if it doesn't directly effect them. I think a lot of the mentality is "just quit" when, in reality, that is a LOT more easily said than done, ya know? It is the STUPIDEST thing I've ever done. Even when I said as much, and expressed my shame and the anxieties I feel, I had people commenting on yes you do smell like crap no matter what you do etc etc. Sometimes, I think that the average person thinks that comments like these will help someone to quit, and in my experience its just not helpful, at all.

Just my two pennies. I always enjoy your posts. :)

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Specializes in Going to Peds!.

(And Obamacare is just the current scapegoat. It's convenient now because after you're kicked off a group health plan, you will still be LEGALLY REQUIRED to purchase your own insurance. And smoker's rates are higher than non.)

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See my previously posted statement. Obamacare is the current scapegoat for all the ills of today's healthcare climate. In 5-10 years, I'm sure there will be something else.

And exactly what are we calling the charge, Lady? Is it a tax, penalty, fee?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

See my previously posted statement. Obamacare is the current scapegoat for all the ills of today's healthcare climate. In 5-10 years, I'm sure there will be something else.

And exactly what are we calling the charge, Lady? Is it a tax, penalty, fee?

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I know about your previous posts...I'm clarifying the "penalty" part. It's a tax; part of the IRS tax code...if you think it's a "penalty" to pay taxes, then that is up to you.

But this is not what the thread is about...

I'm sticking to the thread at hand. :yes:

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I mostly agree with you, lady. I do get the feeling though, (and maybe its just me being overly-sensitive and ashamed that I do smoke) that a lot of posters don't have tolerance for it in general. Even if it doesn't directly effect them. I think a lot of the mentality is "just quit" when, in reality, that is a LOT more easily said than done, ya know? It is the STUPIDEST thing I've ever done. Even when I said as much, and expressed my shame and the anxieties I feel, I had people commenting on yes you do smell like crap no matter what you do etc etc. Sometimes, I think that the average person thinks that comments like these will help someone to quit, and in my experience its just not helpful, at all.

Just my two pennies. I always enjoy your posts. :)

Thanks Glycerine! :)

I appreciate your candor. :yes:

I think we all have vices and the simplicity of "STOP it" is in no way a realistic way to deal with things...yes if it was so easy, this wouldn't even be a topic.

Sometimes the average person has NO idea of certain experiences...and no experience or a frame of reference on certain subjects...even coping mechanisms one can feel is "healthy" for one and should be applied to everyone else; even if that person's coping mechanism is actually unhealthy or unrealistic.

I'm sure those who can say "just quit" to anyone on anything may be projecting another vice...including an addiction to negativity or criticism, perhaps, or anything else which can be just as unhealthy if in excess. ;)

Either way, no walk in life is the same...I think it's more exciting that way. ;)

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

You're right, darn Obamacare for forcing employers to provide heath insurance for their employees. The obese and the smokers were so much better off before!

Yeah, or full time positions being eliminated or made into prn positions so they don't have to give benefits. I, as a healthy adult, was better off with my insurance before my employer started getting ready for the ACA. Now I have no insurance. Thanks Obamacare! :-)

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