Smoking while on O2-bad idea

prmenrs, RN · Oct 30, 2005

ya think????? Apparently, the pt. doesn't!

LoraLou · Oct 30, 2005

hey i took care of a patient in school on the burn unit who was smoking with his o2 on and blew up his face....apparently they said he'd been in before for the same reason

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Oct 30, 2005

:smokin:
OK, i am watching one of those trauma shows on discovery health channel. Showed a woman who was on home 02, and of course, its bad enough that she smokes, but she didn't even take her nasal cannula off. SO...smoking with oxygen on, there was a nice little fire and her house burned down!
Really, how dumb can you be? Do people not know thats dangerous???

Ignorance can be deadly.

I have a patient whose sister did this very same thing last year. Only she inhaled all the flames when her tank blew up in her face. Needless to say, she didn't survive.

It is amazing how you THINK ppl "should know better"... yet don't.

MarySunshine · Oct 30, 2005

I have seen people doing this outside the mall or hospital and I have REALLY wanted to say something, but never have. Obviously, if it was my patient I saw smoking outside the hospital, I'd tell them how dangerous it was! Do you approach strangers in public about this?

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2005

:smokin:
Really, how dumb can you be? Do people not know thats dangerous???

Of course they do. And given that many OP O2 tanks have a warning posted on them, in that regard, many have multiple warnings.

But quite frankly, many of them don't care. Because they are wretchedly addicted to smoking, so addicted that they have, in many cases destroyed their lungs/hearts with the addiction. And if being unable to breath without multiple drugs/meds/trachs didn't stop them from smoking, why would one think that an O2 canula and a warning have any effect?

People hear what they want to hear and disregard what they don't want to acknowledge. As an Onco nurse, I have seen MDs repeatedly and in depth (in simple language) discuss a patient's prognosis to the patient/SOs. And I have had to deal repeatedly with denial and the "I wasn't told" syndrome that follows.

You can teach people the precautions, you can post the warnings and you can get back the signed page of instructions....but when they go home they will do what they want, whether it si right or not.

(And you would be stunned at the number of staff of pulmonary/Onco/RT that smoke)

gwenith, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2005

Still think the patient smoking story that tops it all was the one about the nursing home patient (LTC patient) who used to hop into whichever bed was empty and light up. Unfortunately hopped into one bed that had just been vacated but still had the "Kylie pad" (incontinence sheet) on the bed and very wet from an overnight use. This particular pad had a lot of ammonia from the stale urine and you guessed it - BOOM!!!!

Patient ended up with a burnt...................:imbar: oh! Dear! Shouldn't really laugh but:chuckle

DianeS, RN · Oct 30, 2005

I guess some people are so addicted that they will do anything to get their fix.

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 30, 2005

I consider this beyond sad.

Retired R.N. · Oct 30, 2005

> (And you would be stunned at the number of staff of pulmonary/Onco/RT that smoke)

What I found even more shocking was that I was actually chewed out by a head nurse because I requested to be cared for by non-smoking people while I was hospitalized for COPD.

worldtraveler · Oct 30, 2005

:smokin:
OK, i am watching one of those trauma shows on discovery health channel. Showed a woman who was on home 02, and of course, its bad enough that she smokes, but she didn't even take her nasal cannula off. SO...smoking with oxygen on, there was a nice little fire and her house burned down!
Really, how dumb can you be? Do people not know thats dangerous???

Equally as Absurd is a Neighbor of mine who has COPD and uses an Albuterol Inhaler(aka the Puffer) many times I hear him coughing in his garage only to go over and see if he is still alive and witness him take two-three hits off the Puffer and then Light up a Cigerette! :rolleyes:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2005

I've taken care of a couple of patients with facial burns from smoking while on O2. It is indeed sad.