Smoking ban

worked great where I used to work. NO people trying to get nurses to take smokers down for a cigarette. They got a patch and no one smelled like smoke having just come up from smoke break (esp nurses/employees). I loved it.

They tried that at our hospital for about 6 months..didn't work..the staff,pts,families hung out on the street corners looking like hookers..lol..they now let smokers smoke in the enclosed courtyard area outside.

i am not now, nor have i ever been a smoker so i don't know what it would feel like to go 8-12 h w/out a smoke. i do think that more health care facilities should do a total ban on smoking. whenever a co-worker comes in from smoking, the smell is overwhelming. i dont think that the majority of smokers really appreciate how offensive cigarette smoke is to others, or maybe they just dont care. making employees go the whole shift without smoking will greatly benefit the patients and coworkers who have allergies and respiratory illnesses by eliminating the major irritant of cigarette smoke. i think at some point smokers need to quit thinking only of themselves and what they want and be considerate of those of us who dont want to be bombarded by clouds of smoke when we walk through an entrance to the hospital.

Non smokers picking on smokers

A smoking ban? Wonderful!

I agree with the ban...We had one guy with cancer ajust had to have a smoke and one day out in the smoing area he collapsed and someone called a code! The guy had doctors coming to the floor to see him all the time and where was he? out smoking. Our hospital offered the patch and he said to "go to ----" I don't know if he is still alive, but he left the hospital AMA one day......oh, well. I am not or have ever been a smoker, but I agree with you all who have responded complaining of the rank smell. Smokers don't realize or don't want to know how bad they really smell and how offensive it is.

I don't smoke and work in a nonsmoking facility. No smoking by anyone, anytime, anywhere.

It's a pain because staff still leaves to smoke, walking all the way to wherever their cars are taking more time, hiding in corners outside.

Wasting time arguing with patients is a pain too, and they still go outside and smoke regardless.

It's only a surface bandaid making them look good like they are promoting health, but the reality is smokers are still going to smoke.

However, they do offer employees free patches and gum, etc. and that's a plus.

Smokers don't realize or don't want to know how bad they really smell and how offensive it is.

nope. and that is not picking on smokers, just pure fact. for my allergies, cig residues are PURE misery. Imagine how patients feel, trapped with that stench from their nurses....just imagine how awful it would be when you are sick.

I notice on our floor it affecrts the migraine pts. very bad.

aarh they tried that at the local hospital here, it didn't last, had alot of problems specially with the mental health patients.

What about relatives who have just lost there nearest and dearest?

We have a ban although no-one takes any notice but Ward sisters can allow relatives in this situation to smoke in the relatives room.