Smoking among Nurses is hypocritical.

[thomasgbsn]

I don't believe the number of Nurses that continue to smoke, despite the constant flow of patients that have numerous problems associated with smoking. Furthermore, it is very hypocritical for anyone, DR. or Nurse to be advising patients about proper lifestyle changes. I often get these reasons when I am confronted by a smoker.

#1) It is my right to smoke and I don't feel anyone has the right to tell me otherwise.

Smoking has nothing to do with rights. Smoking is clearly an invasion into the rights of those who do not smoke. Perhaps we should remember the children who have their rights removed by breathing smoke from parents/relatives. And we should have the right to speak out against smoking as there is NO BENEFIT whatsoever. Furthermore smoking drives up health care costs for everyone, regardless if they smoke or not. Talk about rights.

#2) We all are going to die of something someday. Oh well!

With this attitude, you definately shouldn't be in the health care field, especially Nursing. Nursing is all about getting the patient better. What would you do if you overheard a doctor tell his/her patient that it is ok to continue in the bad habits, because they will die someday of something. How ridiculous!

#3) I can't quit!

Why not? You started somehow. You had to smoke several times without actually liking it to be able to acquire the "taste" which led to addicition. Any addiction can be broke if YOU choose to do so. You can quit if you chose to quit. But you have opted for the "I can't quit" excuse because frankly you don't want to quit.

#4) The air we breathe is already polluted, so what makes the difference?

Oh, about $3-4 per pack. I agree that the quality of air is not very good due to various reasons, but to pay hard earned $ to further pollution and to further deteriorate your health is totally asinine. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Why do people start smoking?

#1) Social status

#2) Exposed all his/her life as family/friends smoked.

#3) Peer pressure

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

People in the medical profession are just people, with no special power that the general public doesn't have.

EVERYONE knows cigarette smoking is bad for you. We've all known for years. It is preached in school. Our parents warned us. The cigarette package warns us.

We all know. Medical people know too.

It is hypocritical to ask one group of people to have more self-control than another group of people.

And I've never even tried cigarettes. I hate them.

But the argument that nurses should have more gumption to quit than everyone else is just wrong.

steph

[llg, PhD, RN]

I take it you have no bad habits ... and only engage in activities that are wholesome, good for you phyisically, mentally, and spiritually. All of your activities must also be good for your local community, the economy, and the environment.

You must be thin and phyisically fit ... a vegetarian who eats only organically grown products that never encountered pesticides.

You must also have always been a top-notch student because ...well ... perfect people like you are smart and always perform better in class than those other idiots who take some of the same classes as you do.

When you get to be a nurse -- IF you get to be a nurse -- you'll be a shining role model for everyone around you, just as you are now for your fellow students. I hope they appreciate your perfection and follow your guidance to the letter so that they too, can be perfect -- just like you.

llg -- who hates smoking, too ... but is wise enough to be supportive and empathetic with my fellow human beings who struggle daily with human frailty -- just like me.

[duwah]

I don't like to share the air with cigarette smoke. That said I have a lot of bad habits that I do not recommend to other people. But I do believe as health care workers we have an obligation to inform our patients of health risks.

My mother used to tell me "do as I say, not as I do"

[pricklypear]

Umm, didn't we have a nasty conversation just like this a few months ago?

Didn't turn out too well.:stone

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I take it you have no bad habits ... and only engage in activities that are wholesome, good for you phyisically, mentally, and spiritually. All of your activities must also be good for your local community, the economy, and the environment.

You must be thin and phyisically fit ... a vegetarian who eats only organically grown products that never encountered pesticides.

You must also have always been a top-notch student because ...well ... perfect people like you are smart and always perform better in class than those other idiots who take some of the same classes as you do.

When you get to be a nurse -- IF you get to be a nurse -- you'll be a shining role model for everyone around you, just as you are now for your fellow students. I hope they appreciate your perfection and follow your guidance to the letter so that they too, can be perfect -- just like you.

llg -- who hates smoking, too ... but is wise enough to be supportive and empathetic with my fellow human beings who struggle daily with human frailty -- just like me.

You know you're perfect. Admit it!

steph :)

[Someday-C.R.N.A.]

See this

Healthcare professionals do not trump their personal virtues. They diagnose illness, and provide care and advice for self-care, based in science. (Not personal opinion)

A doctor or nurse (who smokes) advising their patients to abstain from smoking is NOT a hypocrite. They are professionals doing their JOB.

I don't smoke because I chose to quit. It was NOT just that easy . Quitting is difficult. It definitely can be done, as I'm lucky enough to know first hand, but it aint easy.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Let's keep this civil and maybe it will not turn out badly???????

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Let's keep this civil and maybe it will not turn out badly???????

So far, so good. :)

steph

[misschelei]

I would hope nurses who smoke don't go out and scold patients for a life of smoking and then go light up. That would be hypocritical. When we perform teaching with patients we inform them that due thier CURRENT condition they must quit smoking if they want to prolong thier life and increase thier comfort.

[Nurseinthemaking]

I thought as healthcare workers we were not to judge other people on who they are, how they act or what they do.

Our job is to get them better and to keep our opinions to ourselves.

It is almost hard to not respond harshly because of the way this was presented.

Kill them with kindness seems to come to mind here. Lashing out will get ya know where.

[Someday-C.R.N.A.]

the presentation does sort of 'beg' for a negative response, don't it??

btw,

main entry: hyp-o-crite

pronunciation: 'hi-p&-"krit

function: noun

etymology: middle english ypocrite, from old french, from late latin hypocrita, from greek hypokrites actor, hypocrite, from hypokrinesthai

: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

- hypocrite adjective

source: http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=dictionary&va=hypocrite