Smokers

Nurses General Nursing

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Just wondering if anyone knows why so many of us nurses smoke??? Couldn't be the STRESS could it?? At all of the places I've worked, almost all the nurses smoked, including me. Seems kind of odd being in healthcare and all.:confused:

I'll tell you all what:

today is 6 years since I quit smoking, but reading all of your posts about it makes me jones for one in a big way!

Please be considerate of each other-slamming someone verbally has never resulted in anything but hard feelings. You can't make someone quit smoking by using words or logical argument or information. Rarely can you "argue" someone into seeing your point of view. Some people like to smoke, no question-I am one of them. But, just like overeating, or over ANYTHING, there are dynamics at work besides the obvious.

Sure, everyone has their own opinion about things, and sure, smoke in public places affects more people than just the smoker. However, there is a polite way to talk about things. If you are aggressive in your approach, and an already defensive smoker becomes more defensive, what do you get? An impasse!

Ya'll be nice now, hear?

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I hope nobody has taken offense to my post as I see it may have been misinterpreted. My comment about staff shirking duties to smoke excessively was not intended to slam smokers. I dislike covering sick patients for ANY nurse who shirks his/her duties beyond their break time, whether they are smoking or not. Nurses on the phone with their boyfriends for the umpteenth time while their vents alarm away ...that's a BIG pet peeve of mine! We all should use our breaks for whatever we wish, but not abuse the privilege. Hope I didn't cause any hard feelings... luv ya'll!

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I have smoked for about ten years and I think the stress of nursing school is what keeps me smoking. When I'm at clinical and my instructor gets on my case, the only thing I can think about is that cig! Isn't that sick! Then I don't think about the fact that I'm going back and telling my patients with copd that smoking is bad. What a role model I'm turning out to be this early in my career! Anyone have any idea why it is that those who are in the healthcare field take care of so many people but cannot take care of themselves properly! :confused:

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I work as a Nurse's Aide and we are allowed 2 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute non-paid lunch. I smoke and unfortunately I am having a horrible time trying to quit. we take our breaks in rotations depending on where in thre building we are. I have noticed that the ones who take breaks first usually take longer that their allowed time, leaving me with a short break because I won't be out past the permitted time. I should quit and I guess I will someday, but until then...

... I take the short breaks and then do everyone elses work like I always do.:( :( :(

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Smoke (as well as strong perfumes) can bother someone with allergies. When working, I try (when possible) not to get too close to a smoker. Someone who is bedridden does not have this option. I realize that many patients are smokers and many patients do not have conditions which would be bothered by the smell of smoke, but smokers (as well as those who apply liberal doses of perfume) should be aware of the effect that it can have on some people.

I resent working with someone who rushes through their work so that they can have a smoke break. I also dislike someone who, in response to a patient's request, says "wait till I get back from my smoke break".

However, it's not actually the smoke breaks that bother me. Some smokers do not seem to need the frequent smoke breaks that others need and they do not take their breaks at inconvenient times. Coworkers who are constantly on their cell phones or take frequent breaks to make personal calls are also inconsiderate as are those who seem to always take their breaks at inconvenient times.

If you find a way (for ANY reason) to take more breaks than your coworkers, then you are not pulling your share of the load.

I don't mind working with a smoker, I can put up with the smell of it on their clothes for the length of time I am working.

Working with someone who is basically lazy does bother me. I'm sure if some of the smokers who took frequent breaks stopped smoking, they would find another reason to avoid work.

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Nurse4Kids-

My son does not "choose" to be gay. He was born gay. It is not a choice you make. And for you to make that statement tells me how much you do not know about the subject.

My orignial irritation was with the notion you put forward that smoking and being homosexaul are somehow the same. " Who would choose to do either".

It is an insult to the gay community. It shows ignorance.

So you see the challenge of quiting smoking, like the challenge of gays "trying to live straight"? First of all, gays do not "try to live straight". Maybe in the 1950's and 60's. Not today. Not where I come from, anyways. What state do you live in?

Second, I still resent the nasty habit of sucking on an cigarette being lumped together with your off-color view of gays. It is rank.

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I used to think rank was an order that soldiers used, or just of people in general. Can a situation be rank? Now I learn.rank

\Rank\, ranc strong, proud; cf. D. rank slender, Dan. rank upright, erect, Prov. G. rank slender, Icel. rakkr slender, bold. The meaning seems to have been influenced by L. rancidus, E. rancid.] 1. Luxuriant in growth; of vigorous growth; exuberant; grown to immoderate height; as, rank grass; rank weeds.

2. Raised to a high degree; violent; extreme; gross; utter; as, rank heresy. ``Rank nonsense.'' --Hare. ``I do forgive thy rankest fault.'' --Shak.

3. Causing vigorous growth; producing luxuriantly; very rich and fertile; as, rank land. --Mortimer.

4. Strong-scented; rancid; musty; as, oil of a rank smell; rank-smelling rue. --Spenser.

5. Strong to the taste. ``Divers sea fowls taste rank of the fish on which they feed.'' --Boyle.

I appreciate the inspiration.

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Rank is slang. Slang is not in the dictonary you are reading-typing from. The slang meaning is- distastful, smells bad, not something you want around. Get it?

You seem young not to know this term. Perhaps it is regional.

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Definately regional. My people in NYC never used the word like this. They'd say "skeevats" "to skeeve" or we would use various other power words that folks from other regions object to/try to censor. Rank does sound kind of obscure.

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Mario, you were nearest with definition 4.

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Now for my 2 cents. I am a smoker. Not always proud of it, but it happens. I do not take more than my share of breaks. How many times do non-smokers sit at the desk and chitchat, talk about this person and that person? What is the difference? I'm just not on the floor joining in with the "games" I am outside chitchatting with others of my kind. Like someone said, some non-smokers take a full 30-60 min break and they have to watch thier patients. I take exactly 8 minutes. 5 to smoke 1 1/2 minutes both ways to get to the "butt hutt" I don't go out to smoke often because I am the only nurse on the floor for 14 patients!!!( I work in a hospital not a nursing home!!!) I have to get a nursing supervisor to come and relieve me, if she/he feels like it. I am lucky to get one 15 minute break all the days I work put together.

So don't put all of us in a catagory of out there smoking all the time while you are sitting at the desk talking (talking-smoking what's the diff??) If you want a break then take one, you are entitled to 2 15 min in a 12 hr shift, instead of watching the clock of the evil smokers. Lighten up while we light up. Last I heard it is still a free country. How would you like it if I complained that you talk too much in a 12 hr day????

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Now for my 2 cents. I am a smoker. Not always proud of it, but it happens. I do not take more than my share of breaks. How many times do non-smokers sit at the desk and chitchat, talk about this person and that person? What is the difference? I'm just not on the floor joining in with the "games" I am outside chitchatting with others of my kind. Like someone said, some non-smokers take a full 30-60 min break and they have to watch thier patients. I take exactly 8 minutes. 5 to smoke 1 1/2 minutes both ways to get to the "butt hutt" I don't go out to smoke often because I am the only nurse on the floor for 14 patients!!!( I work in a hospital not a nursing home!!!) I have to get a nursing supervisor to come and relieve me, if she/he feels like it. I am lucky to get one 15 minute break all the days I work put together.

So don't put all of us in a catagory of out there smoking all the time while you are sitting at the desk talking (talking-smoking what's the diff??) If you want a break then take one, you are entitled to 2 15 min in a 12 hr shift, instead of watching the clock of the evil smokers. Lighten up while we light up. Last I heard it is still a free country. How would you like it if I complained that you talk too much in a 12 hr day????

__________________

Suzanne

:confused:

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