Smokers

Unfortunately, I actually started smoking in nursing school! I "blame" it on the stress of school combined with the fact that I had gone through a divorce after 10 years. I know how unhealthy it is and have seen first-hand the ill effects of smoking, but ask any smoker and they will tell you that that is not a deterrent! It's an addiction and each smoker has their own reason for continuing.

Yes I remember the good ole days when a nurse could sit in the nurses lounge and smoke in a chair in the hospital. I am a reformed smoker. I use to smoke as a reward..for instance after I got my patients assessments done and meds passed I would smoke, after bathing patients I smoked, after midnight assessments I smoked, 4am cigarette to keep me awake,

six oclock smoke to go home. Finally i developed ITP which started with a cough that progressed to coughing up blood, then I started hemmorhaging(SP) and my platelette count went down to 1. I was tested for everything from cancer to HIV and never did find out what caused the problem. I received gamma globulin and never have smoked another cigarette and funny thing I don't even crave or want one. I had smoked at least 10 years prior to this happening to me. Also, no more bleeding problems either.

I am about to enter nursing school. I also recently quit smoking. My reasons weren't based on the fact that it would eventually lead to health issues. It's easy to throw aside thoughts of cancer and other illnesses. I could always just step into a comfy state of denial instead. I chose to quit because I knew smoking would stress me out while being in school. All the school work is stressful enough. Who has time to worry about the next cig break too??? Hospitals in my area are soon going to discontinue any smoking on their premises completely. My desire diminished because I felt so guilty being in healthcare and deliberately going against what I'll be preaching to patients. It became more stressful than soothing.

Being a former smoker, I can't be snotty since I know how hard it is to deal with. It's a bad habit, we all know that. We all have our vices that don't make us poster children for optimal health.

More than nurses, what really gets me is that most of the respiratory staff smokes where I work. And most of the residents too.

Or do you feel that it is your right?

classic addiction behavior, as a reformed smoker (jan 5, 2005) i am grateful everyday that i quit smoking. what helped me alot was the freedom from smoking program through the american lung association, great program; lots and lots to do and read, tips.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/kb/home/login.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=38973&membershipreq=83912&targetURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elungusa%2Eorg%2Fsite%2Fpp%2Easpx%3Fc%3DdvLUK9O0E%26b%3D22933

not to hijack this thread or anything....

Nurses,

If you are a smoker, do you feel bad because you know it is not a healthy choice? Or do you feel that because of all the stress you are under it is your right?

Yes, I do, at times, feel bad for continueing to smoke even though I work with COPDrs every day and I know what the consequences are and exactly what I have to look forward to in say 20 years. And the stress is my excuse for keeping it up. I will be going to a smoke free hospital in June and this is my fresh start as not only a nurse but to quit smoking. I just hope that I can survive the car trips. That's going to be my hardest part of becoming smoke free.

I too am an x-smoker (Dec. 2005) I quit because I felt guilty going to clinicals and wanting to smoke, I always felt guilty at church, I hated that I was not setting a good example for either part of my life, not to mention that I have 2 young kids. I had tried to quit before I started school and it didn't work but this time my hubby and I quit together and it was just time to do it. It worked! I wanted so badly for someone to "tell me how to quit" like there was some magic words of wisdom or fear tactic. We as professionals do all of this education on the effects, risks, and benefits of quitting but ths simple truth is when it's "time" quitting just works.

I feel that it's good that more places are smoke free because there are some people who don't respect non smokers. I feel that it also helps those who are struggling with quitting that there aren't as many venues where smoking is acceptable. We know that it is a major health problem in this country and we need to continue to educate the public to change their health habits.