Smoking Nurses

[broobrum58]

What are your thoughts on nurses that smoke?

[olaureno]

the smell thing gets me. i find it really distracting and disrespectful to the patient when I'm working with someone who smells like a cloud of cigarette smoke. healthcare workers should present themselves as professionals, and part of that is not smelling strongly of anything good or bad.

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

If I had a nurse who smelled of cigarettes, I would fire them and request someone else who doesn't reek of an ashtray. The same goes for those who wear cologne or perfume. It's completely unprofessional to have that on when it can overwhelm a patient, and even cause someone to have an allergic reaction.

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Nurses who smoke should be extinguished immediately.

But on a serious note, people make their own decisions, and nurses are people, too. Nicotine is one of the hardest addictions to quit, and many relapse. If people are abusing break time then this is up to the manager to address.

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

It really depends on the location but generally I follow the RACE protocol using the PASS technique.

[AliNajaCat]

As in, smokin' hot? Tell them to vote Democratic, and help make politics safe for good looking women.

[caffeinatednurse, BSN, RN]

I work in a tobacco-free workplace, but it doesn't stop 2nd & 3rd shifts from smoking once management has left. I have asthma & allergies & they have consistently gotten worse, the more time I've spent around the employees who smoke.

[smc5127, BSN, CNA, RN]

They know the dangers, we teach it to clients all the time, lol. Most smoking nurses I know though, started actually smoking in nursing school because of the stress, if you can believe it 😂.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Quite a few healthcare employers in my part of the country will no longer hire smokers or nicotine users - it's been that way for a few years now. They rely on self-disclosure, but also reserve the right to randomly check for nicotine. The initial transition was rough, but not illegal since smokers are not a protected class. I'm sure that there are still unknowingly hiring smokers, but those people would have to be able to work an entire shift without their nicotine fix. Reportedly, this switch has also helped reign in their healthcare benefit costs.

As a staff nurse, there's nothing more irritating than having to deal with coworkers' frequent "smoke breaks" - that are always extended because they have to go waaaay far to the designated smoke shack or completely off grounds to light up.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Yes it is a homework question. I just wanted to see opinions I personally do not smoke, but I do not like how some smokers take smoke breaks through the shift some up to several breaks.

I don't care if they smoke.

I do care if they are spending less time on the unit because of their habit.

Many places don't allow smoking breaks. You can smoke during your assigned Coffee and lunch break if you need to.

[Beldar_the_Cenobite, CNA]

When I was in the military, I tried smoking. I tried to see what it was like, how it felt, and if it was easy to get into. It was not easy, it burned my chest, and it quickly became a waste of my time. I've heard of the old rumor,"If you ever get into a field within the medical field, like nursing or physician, you have a 50% chance of becoming a smoker because of the stress involved in your job." Now I know I'll be studying AP next semester, then if I can get into the gates of hell, nursing school, I'll be studying Patho. As professionals who have spent a lot of time and money getting into a field that involves helping people and learning and knowing the human body, what sense does it make to do things that harm your own body? Smoking is a waste. It's a waste of money, it's a waste of advertisement, it's a waste to your health, it's a waste of time, peoples lives, etc. It's a flat out waste of EVERYTHING. So why do it? People say,"It helps relax me." No, *****, it does not, it increases your heart rate, you burn your lungs(COPD but that takes years), you smell, your teeth turn yellow, it can damage your mouth, your throat. People say,"I do it to look cool". No, ******, you smell, your teeth turn yellow, it damages your throat, your mouth...

How do people find it normal to smoke? People STILL buy this crap..

With everything I said, they are my thoughts on nurses who smoke AND people who smoke in general.

What did we learn in AP? The role of the lungs? It takes in oxygen and expels CO2....that's pretty much it.

I once had a friend who had secondary dystonia. She was such a disabled smart ass. "Lungs also take in marijuana smoke". Wait to fire me up. Now I know why common sense isn't common.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

When I was in the military, I tried smoking. I tried to see what it was like, how it felt, and if it was easy to get into. It was not easy, it burned my chest, and it quickly became a waste of my time. I've heard of the old rumor,"If you ever get into a field within the medical field, like nursing or physician, you have a 50% chance of becoming a smoker because of the stress involved in your job."

That certainly is quite the old rumor. Smoking is way down among nurses. Even fewer doctors smoke.

Access Denied

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140107170745.htm

ETA: I don't know why my link says "acess denied," but I believe it does work.

[MikeMad]

Didn't you hear about smoking but very good doctors? I think we should not care in this case)

however if you feel stressed, better eat more sweets - much more help than cigarette)