Smoking And Nurses

CABG patch kid, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2008

While it may be bad for your health, I don't think smoking affects your judgement. I smoked for almost 10 years and never noticed a difference in making poor decisions (besides the poor decision to smoke!) while "under the influence" which typically last about 30-60 minutes after smoking, depending on how much you smoke. And there have been a few studies that show that, like caffeine, small amounts of nicotine may boost your concentration because its a stimulant. So you could say that drinking too much coffee and smoking pretty much have the same short-term effect on your body.

But everyone knows how bad it is so until they can find a therapeutic use for nicotine, its pointless to smoke.

RedCell · Jan 20, 2008

Smoking is good for you, it lowers the incidence of postoperative nausea/vomitting. Besides, if you hate smoking so much,try Skoal...it will keep your lungs nice and clean.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2008

Personally, I do think it affects judgement...many times last year, smoking workers were allowed to take numerous "smoke breaks" downstairs and outside....allowing fewer nurses and techs on floor, sometimes for up to 30 mins 3x a night.....If their IV went off, a patient wanted a med, etc...what am I supposed to tell em? Oh, well you're nurse went to go smoke...you'll get that pain med in about 1/2 a hour....

Also, what a image problem....you pull up in the ambulance and are greeted by 4-5 nurses/workers/etc....standing by the ER doors smoking, as you go in by strecher...and you wind up on their floor....

TG IL made public places smoke-free.....the entire hospital campus is smoke free for me...no smoking on any part of the property..you have to drive off-site to do it....

cowgrrlRN · Jan 20, 2008

:innerconfDuh, we all know how harmful smoking is to our health, however we also are allowed the freedom to choose what we want to do. If you really think about anything in excess can be harmful to health. I'm not saying it is a positive choice to smoke but if we start controlling people's choice to smoke then where will it end? Next it will be mandatory to be a certain weight because being overweight is bad for your health. You can no longer participate in high risk sports because you might be seriously injured or die. Extreme, I know, but when we start restricting personal freedom of choice in one area it can lead to realms we never thought possible.

I can fully understand and respect the need for restricted smoking areas. Others should not be subjected to the effects of my bad habit/addiction.

As far as smoking affecting judgment...I think not. It would be my hope that nurses who smoke take their breaks when their work is caught up and also be respectful of their non-smoking co-workers. It only takes 5 minutes to smoke a cigarette and usually less than 5 minutes to reach a smoking area so a 30 min break is unreasonable!!How RUDE!!Among other things.

justme1972 · Jan 20, 2008

I know that some hospitals have a policy of not wearing perfume or cologne.

When I started my clinicals, I showed up the first day following the rules, only to be greeted by 4 fellow students that had smoked heavily in their car before coming into the hospital....and you could smell the stinch from 10 feet away.

After that, I wore my perfume, and no one said a word.

anonymurse · Jan 20, 2008

NICOTINE TAR CONTAINS OVER 4000 CHEMICALS including ammonia, formaldehyde, orificenic, butane, hydrogen cyanide, lead, mercury, vinyl chloride, methane AND vast quantities of carbon monoxide.
Nicotine is a colorless, odorless, organic-based alkaloid in the same family as cocaine, morphine, quinine and strychnine. It is a super toxin. Now I know it is legal and so is alcohol, but how can this be allowed in the workplace. It has to effect judgement. please I need feedback, because I have a hard time with this at work.

It has to affect judgment because you have a hard time with it at work?

Yah, I can see right there how critical thinking is affected by smoking.

allnurses Guide · Jan 20, 2008

Smoking is good for you, it lowers the incidence of postoperative nausea/vomitting. Besides, if you hate smoking so much,try Skoal...it will keep your lungs nice and clean.

:rotfl: I don't care who ya are, that's funny.

Oz2 · Jan 20, 2008

My friend used to say smoking formed a "protective layer" in her lungs which helped prevent her from getting sick from colds, etc... :lol2: That cracked me up.

LydiaNN · Jan 20, 2008

It isn't allowed in the workplace in my state. I was under the impression that many hospitals had banned smoking indoors, even in states where it is still legal to smoke in public buildings, but maybe that was a mistaken impression. I live in CA and we've had an indoor smoking ban for so long, that when I go places that it's permitted, it always takes me aback when someone has a cigarette.

Katie82, RN · Jan 20, 2008

. It has to effect judgement. please I need feedback, because I have a hard time with this at work.

The only effect it may have on your judgement is the anxiety some feel when they cannot smoke. I worked with a nurse who had just transitioned from hospital to office enviornment, and she was constantly downstairs smoking. I cannot imagine how she functioned on a hospital floor, actually her last job was in PACU. Another problem was that she reeked of smoke, it was difficult being around her for a long period of time. Since they have made smoking so difficult in public places, I actually know very few people who smoke. Now most insurance companies are offering incentives for not smoking - like higher premiums for those who do.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2008

The only effect it may have on your judgement is the anxiety some feel when they cannot smoke.

I work with only one smoker. How cool is that? (Though night shift has several smokers). However, I can tell when it's time for her to smoke, she gets irritable and doesn't handle the stress of the floor well. When she comes back from smoking, she's one of our best nurses.