Smokers in Nursing School--How Are You Treated?

[SarahMaria]

I am a smoker (I know, I know), and I am in my third semester of nursing school. Often, especially at clinicals, my fellow smokers and I are looked upon as common criminals. Always, there is some sort of smoking ban on hospital property, therefore, we pariahs must go to a designated location which is usually far away, across the street, in a dangerous neighborhood. Is anyone else feeling like a leper for engaging in a legal activity?

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Because prohibition doesn't work. Alcohol once was illegal, it was a disaster. If it were illegal again, the sale and distribution of alcohol will go to illegal, black market dealers just like all other illegal drugs/substances. There would be no regulation. No taxation. And it would be a LOT harder to keep it out of the hands of teenagers. When I was a teen, it was so easy to obtain an illegal drug and extremely difficult to obtain alcohol. Drug dealers have no motivation to sell kids alcohol.. but illegal drugs.. that is where the money is and they don't require ID in order to buy.

One of the best things this country did was make it illegal for kids under 18 to purchase cigarettes.. again, had they made it completely illegal for anyone to smoke, the black market would kick in and ruthless dealers would have no issue selling to kids.. no ID needed.\

I have no problem with highly regulating dangerous substances and taxing the hell out of them. Adults should have the final choice on what they put in their body. Are there people who become addicted? sure. But the majority of drinkers are casual or occasional drinkers. There is no reason one shouldn't be able to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.

Okay- off my soapbox.

Well that wasn't what I was really meaning. I get why it's legal, it was more of a rhetorical question. My meaning was more of how we ban other drugs saying they are illegal because of how bad they are for people or shoot even prostitution and so on. Yet Alcohol and Smoking is OK which is worse than some other street drugs.

It's just screwy government in my opinion. It's all a matter or opinion and perspective anyway. People don't want government involved on things they want to do but want government involved on things they are against.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Well that wasn't what I was really meaning. I get why it's legal, it was more of a rhetorical question. My meaning was more of how we ban other drugs saying they are illegal because of how bad they are for people or shoot even prostitution and so on. Yet Alcohol and Smoking is OK which is worse than some other street drugs.

It's just screwy government in my opinion. It's all a matter or opinion and perspective anyway. People don't want government involved on things they want to do but want government involved on things they are against.

So true, so true.

[SarahMaria, MSN, RN]

No one really has any pity for smokers. It's a terrible habit in so many ways, and in this day and age everyone learns all the drawbacks of smoking before they ever start. I think a person should be able to make it through a shift without having to smoke.

Interesting perspective. Yes, smoking has negative consequences, and everyone is aware of the health problems associated with smoking. But I think your comment about one "should be able to make it through a shift without having to smoke" is too superficial. For many people, it's not that easy because smoking is an addiction. As a nurse, I hope you wouldn't expect an alcoholic or a heroin addict to abstain from using for 8-12 hours. They would be going out of their minds! Why should a smoker have to go an entire shift without a cigarette?

Most people start smoking at a young age. At 14, 15, 16, etc. do you think kids are all that concerned with the potential health problems that could occur down the line? Probably not. Before long, they are addicted.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I suspect the hostility toward smokers stems largely from the fact that even passive exposure to smoking leads to very real health risks. Someone standing next to an obese person does not get cancer from being exposed to their obesity. Someone who is in a room with an individual indulging in a beer does not have long term health consequences within their own body from that person drinking beer in their presence. I am sure you get my meaning.

Smoking became a hostility laden topic when the proof came about that it injures more than just the party who smokes and when smokers took up arms over their continued right to do it whenever and wherever they chose, health of others be damned.

I am not terribly sympathetic that someone has to walk a long distance in the cold/rain/etc to take a smoke break or that they miss meals to do so. If it is that unpleasant, seek help and quit. I smoked three packs a day in college and quit cold turkey. Not everyone can do that, but then there are a lot of things available now that weren't then to help the smoker wean themselves down.

[CuriousMe]

I am so relieved that hospitals have started requiring smoking staff members to smoke off-campus only. I'm even more grateful for the hospitals that require their employees to not smoke at all.

I don't feel this way because I'm vindictive, but because I'm asthmatic and one of my biggest triggers is second hand smoke. I can't tell you the number of times that I had to go to the ED due to a bad flare up and had to "run the gauntlet" of smoking staff members outside the ED door!!! I mean, come on....I couldn't breathe as it was, that did not help.

One trip to the ED, I needed to request a different nurse due to the strong tobacco smell on her person. Just not what I needed at that moment (and for the record...perfume to cover the smell doesn't help! It just means I don't know why I'm flaring up worse later in the day...it's not the aroma, it's the chemicals!)

So, smokers are grown adults...they get to make any decision they want. However, health care workers shouldn't be putting folks who already have a fragile respiratory system, in further jeopardy.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

As a nurse, I hope you wouldn't expect an alcoholic or a heroin addict to abstain from using for 8-12 hours. They would be going out of their minds! Why should a smoker have to go an entire shift without a cigarette?

This argument doesn't help your cause. Nobody would accept a heroin or alcoholic using on the job simply because they are addicted and would 'go out of their minds'. Yes, smoking is legal and it is an addiction.. but you don't have a 'right' to use it at work anymore than you would have a 'right' to drink at work.

Most people start smoking at a young age. At 14, 15, 16, etc. do you think kids are all that concerned with the potential health problems that could occur down the line? Probably not. Before long, they are addicted.

This is so true. I know that was the case for me. And it WAS hard to work a full shift (anywhere I worked) without smoking but sometimes it was necessary. It sucked, don't get me wrong.

Surely you can't disagree that you need to quit at some point? Jobs are beginning to enact policies where they wont hire smokers. (I disagree with this, for the record, as it IS a legal substance) but they can and will continue to do this.

When I learned my mother in law used to smoke I was shocked (I simply didn't know).. when I asked her how she quit she said, "It's one of the easiest things you'll ever do". I thought that was a strange statement for a once smoker to say about kicking an addiction but you know what? She was right. It was a hell of a lot easier than A&P this past semester. Really, quitting isn't hard if you want to do it.

Good luck to you. The discrimination against smokers isn't going to get any better.. it's probably best that you realize and accept this now if you choose to continue smoking. It's in your hands.

[2ndyearstudent, CNA]

Interesting how no smokers have commented. Yet so many non-smokers with negative things to say about smoking and healthcare, nursing school, etc. I find it very, very interesting...

Were you looking for people to say positive things about smoking? I looked at the comments up to your post above and saw nothing really unexpected.

I'm curious, what did you find so interesting?

[SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP]

I've been waiting a long time for fresh air. I remember flying when you could smoke after take off like being in an enclosed ashtray, I also remember when pts could smoke in their rooms, and my boss smoking at his desk while talking to me. Many good changes!!

[nursel56]

I have to say it's funny how horribly mean some of these responses are. I am an ex-smoker and I know what you mean. It's funny how critical people are of smoking and are so eager to voice it. There are many many unhealthy habits that so many engage in. For one I know our country has one of the biggest problems with obesity and very few are actually at a healthy weight and drinking!!! I know in patho so many many diseases began with lack of diet and excercise, drinking, and yes smoking. I know smoking is stinky and what not but I've met a few of the other mentioned kind that are as well. Why attack one unhealthy habit? Really as medical professionals we should want to prevent all unhealthy habits, not just pick one taht we don't personally engage in and attack it.

Let the smokers be and if you do... well hell they're not gonna be around that long anyhow lol sorry jk kinda

I don't see any mean responses here at all. When you have severe asthma as I do from breathing second-hand smoke as a result of being cooped up in your parent's car for hours on end while they smoked non-stop, or you've just got a handle on your allergy to smoke after sneezing for 3 hours and have no choice but to walk through a wall of smoke outside a doorway to a public building and have to go through the process again, it makes you a little irritable.

I hold no animosity toward my parents -- they really didn't understand the danger then. I'm not even an anti-smoking vigilante -- I just don't want it near me and I don't want my hair and clothes to smell like someone else's rancid tobacco.

I smoked too as a teen and quit in my 20s. Unlike some here I had a very hard time with it and failed a few times before it finally stuck for good. Thank you, God. I would say to those who want to quit there are lots of different ways to do it and just don't give up. The time is coming when you won't be hired if you're a smoker. To those who see it as an individual rights issue and find our comments "interesting" I don't suppose your mind will be changed.

What finally worked for me was seeing myself 30 years hence in the COPD patients we treated. The people in TV commercials for pharm company COPD tx don't have it by a long shot. It's a truly awful way to go.

There is only one area I think should allow the patients to smoke and that is in psych. I'd say at least 80% of the non-geriatric psych inpatients smoke, and due to their underlying functional issues probably not a good idea to make them go cold turkey on the cigs.

[OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN]

I don't see any mean responses here at all. When you have severe asthma as I do from breathing second-hand smoke as a result of being cooped up in your parent's car for hours on end while they smoked non-stop, or you've just got a handle on your allergy to smoke after sneezing for 3 hours and have no choice but to walk through a wall of smoke outside a doorway to a public building and have to go through the process again, it makes you a little irritable.

I hold no animosity toward my parents -- they really didn't understand the danger then. I'm not even an anti-smoking vigilante -- I just don't want it near me and I don't want my hair and clothes to smell like someone else's rancid tobacco.

I smoked too as a teen and quit in my 20s. Unlike some here I had a very hard time with it and failed a few times before it finally stuck for good. Thank you, God. I would say to those who want to quit there are lots of different ways to do it and just don't give up. The time is coming when you won't be hired if you're a smoker. To those who see it as an individual rights issue and find our comments "interesting" I don't suppose your mind will be changed.

What finally worked for me was seeing myself 30 years hence in the COPD patients we treated. The people in TV commercials for pharm company COPD tx don't have it by a long shot. It's a truly awful way to go.

There is only one area I think should allow the patients to smoke and that is in psych. I'd say at least 80% of the non-geriatric psych inpatients smoke, and due to their underlying functional issues probably not a good idea to make them go cold turkey on the cigs.

The responses were harsh and since you quated me you should have read all of my post. I agreed that smoking is terrible and usually a beginning cause of most diseases. All I said in the smokers defense is that there are many other horrible unhealthy habits so if you're going to chastise one do the others as well. Obesity is a huge problem as well as alcohol which I think everyone thinks is just fine since so many drink.

I also never said anything about second hand smoke being okay. I never smoked around others when I was a smoker and I certainly don't think people should be lighting up in front of the hospital doors, thats a joke.

Drinking can cause heart disease, liver disease, gi problems, and on and on and on. Obesity blah blah the same..

I suppose my point was maybe if you're against smoking then someone could write something to help people quit..maybe give a website that offers help or a tip from how they quit..I quit because I was pregnant so that was reason enough..

[ShantheRN, BSN, RN]

I think someone else pointed this out earlier - someone with high cholesterol isn't going to kill me with their disease process. That's the huge difference.

And frankly, the public has been informed way over the top about the dangers of smoking to yourself and others. Endless websites, support groups, cessation products, etc. Every smoker knows what's going on every time they light up. Yet they do it....over and over again. I'm allowed to criticize because I used to be one. I protested the blanket smoking bans even after I quit. My state passed a "no smoking anywhere" ban versus leaving it up to the establishment. I thought that was a bit much but I was outvoted lol Hospitals should be smoke free, period. Staff/students/volunteers shouldn't smell like smoke, period. Spritzing on perfume doesn't get rid of the smell. You might not be able to smell it, but we don't need to go over a smoker's sense of smell, right?

We have several smokers in my class, and they all complained about having to go so long without one. One actually compared it to me being given time to check my blood sugar and getting a quick snack. I said....yeah it's just the same, except I may pass out while you just get grumpy

The ways to quit are out there....but like anything else, it means jack squat if the person doesn't want to quit. I did it cold turkey, for my own reasons. It absolutely sucked, but it can be done. So basically, my stance on fellow students is: your bad habit, not my problem. Learn to deal with the stigma (and yes, there is one) or quit :) And btw, there's nothing mean in my response to this - just being honest!

ETA: One of my friends is one of the smoking bunch, and she feels picked on because of it. I know of 3 people that quit during this last year of our program, mainly because of how smoking is treated at the clinical sites.

[2ndyearstudent, CNA]

I've been waiting a long time for fresh air. I remember flying when you could smoke after take off like being in an enclosed ashtray, I also remember when pts could smoke in their rooms, and my boss smoking at his desk while talking to me. Many good changes!!

My first job out of college (the first time) was in an Engineering department that consisted of a closed room with 6 cubicles and 3 chain smokers. That sucked.

The company was bought out a short time later and the new president immediately noticed how out of compliance with state laws we were and changed the smoking policy.

He moved it to the breakroom - that had no ventilation. You can imagine how that place looked. Shortly thereafter smoking was moved outdoors.