on smoking...

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why is it that some health care professionals still smoke when they know for a fact (i think it is expected from them) that it harms their health? :confused:

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Anyone, despite their jobs, can have addictions that are not good for them. Many times it isn't the fact the info is out there not to do it, it is because our society as a whole is so misguided about addictions, and tend to put people down or stereotype them instead of giving them the tools to help themselves and just support their efforts!

I have seen this so many times in healthcare too...a smoker not being able to smoke and getting a patch or gum if lucky (some docs can't Rx that dependant on health situation), and most often that person is seen as 'wrong' or 'bad' and not supported. "here, have this patch and that should help"...ummmm that alone doesn't help!

I have helped many smokers quell with not being able to have a smoke in the hospital. If they quit..I encourage that...but it is up to them once they leave...not my place to force a choice on them! I give them candies to suck on, something to hold between the fingers, warm or cold beverages to get a small sensation of the tickle at the back of the throat you get from smoking, and patches or gum to help with the nicotine withdrawl. I also encourage finding out times they really want a smoke or things that trigger the wish to smoke...like the AM coffee or what not and change those habits so they can decrease the automatic desire!

Now why do I do all that? I am a smoker too! I have insite to what it takes to try to quit, what sensations I miss, the pain of nicotine withdrawl, and the habits I have that trigger the wish for a smoke!

I have tried to quit and...I won't say failed, because that is negative and not productive (as I tell my pts too), I simply missed a condition that makes me want to smoke that I must find and solve!

It is like a trip while walking...yeah sometimes you fall down and sit for a long time assessing your wounds or feeling sorry for yourself...the trick is..get back up and start walking again when you are ready. And just like when you fall...you really don't want a hand lifting you up...you want to do it, need to do it yourself!

Sadly, as a nurse I get more flack from smoking, and TONS more for starting back up when I have 'tripped'. Because 'you should know better" negative unproductive crud I get...well...that doesn't help me to want to stand up on my own in some subconscious way....I would rather someone say...'hey, I will be there for you if you wish to quit! Just let me know what I can do!". Gee isn't that much nicer!?!?!?!

Also...I do not smoke in cars or public places. I do not smoke in my home. I go outside and I ask that my family give me alone time! I don't even want my family out there in the outside if I am smoking! I have found that to be more common now a days that we give credit for...no again we focus on the negative and say those darn smokers and their second hand smoke! Uhgggggg! I don't like being labled as that...another negative that produces stress, upset, and defensiveness that is so totally nonproductive!

Maybe it isn't just the smokers that need to change, but the population at large learning a lesson in proactive and positive support paving a way for a smoker (or other people with addictions) to find quitting a more positive and self fullfiling journey to healthy living!

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HI guys, I work in Arkansas and we now have a no smoking policy in and around the hospital campus but people now smoke across the street, how is this new policy working in your neck of the woods?

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even then they could say no ONE can eat in that case--not just overweight people, but you can live without smoking but not food. I hear and unsderstand your fustration ,can you smoke in your car?or is that against the rules too?

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

My facility tried that and basically what wound up happening was breaks were longer because of the distance one had to walk, and it wasn't the greatest PR to see a bunch of scrub clad folks in plain site smoking. So they made up a smoking section for employees again...but this time well outside and in a covered area near the shipping/recieving area out of view from the public and very separated from the main building.

I still prefer not to smoke there because there are many smokers in a small space and I know I reek of it. I basically will not smoke at work, which is part of my cutting back plan (as well as no longer smoking in my car when I am alone...I never did it with others in my car, but now I won't even do it while alone...another one of the habits that trigger the wish to smoke I am changing! :) ).

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I am an ex smoker and you know we make the worse culprits for taking a stand against smokers but I believe that inspite of health problems caused by smoking that everybody has a righ to smoke if they desire. I dont think we should inflict our smoke on others and it is ok to do it outside.

But the exception has to be the British pub in Uk it has been tradition for 100's of years for people to go to the pub for a pint and smoke, if you dont smoke then go where there is no smoking enforcement.

Do you know I remember a time when nurses would smoke in the day room with the patients-can you imagine that :smokin:.

I was in hospital in Spain and the nurse who put in my IV had a ciggy in in his mouth whilst he was ungloved, unwashed inserting an IV.

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we have one smoking area designated for employees, and like i said earlier, it's way out in bfe near the helicopter pad. we aren't allowed to wear name badges there... like no one knows we work in the hospital because we're not wearing a badge lol. the patients and visitors have a separate area and this is what i think is rediculous... it's right next to the employee entrance.. lol. cars can be smoked in... as long as you're not on the property. so far, no one has complained about having to clock out but it's the fact that the company is dictating how we spend our precious allottment of down time during the shift. i know for a fact that before this policy was in place, 90% of all of the smokers would have one cigarette during meal breaks. that constitutes approximately 10 minutes. the rest of the time of course, is spent trying to sit for a moment in between answering call lights. i guess we can't really complain though. in another facility, employees who smoke have to walk about a block away from any entrance and stand under a bridge in a not so great area of the city. it just bothers me that facilities think that a person can be forced to give up an addiction.. or habit.. whatever name you choose to call it. i'm involved with someone who was addicted.. well he still is but now he's in the "recovering" category.. to cocaine, marijuana, alcohol plus numerous prescription meds.. vicodin and ms contin to name but two. now that he's recovering, he smokes. did before but now it's his only vice and i wouldn't dream of asking him to give that up before he's good and ready. lesser of two.. or more.. evils? perhaps, but the alternatives are scary.

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Specializes in Home Health Case Mgr.

Hey Roy...i Hear Ya, A Good Cavendish Or Burley Sounds Good.

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Nursing maybe our profession, but first and formost, we are just people with the same weaknesses and addictions like anyone else. We are not Gods and perfect. What we need to do is to SUPPORT one another and not pass judgment on each other. Nursing is a tough field and can only depend on each other during our shifts to give good patient care. Any nurse who smokes is already aware of health effects and they accept the consequences. They surely do not need anyone esle to tell them what thy already know. They have their own conscience to deal with. I know because I used to smoke and now have changed my nicotine craving from cigarettes to the gum.

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Specializes in ER, telemetry.

People who have never smoked wonder why smokers continue to smoke. I quit 6 years ago and still want a cigarette every day of my life. Every time I take care of a pt with COPD or CAD, I thank God that I quit when I did. And those pt's reinforce why I don't give in to my cravings. Unfortunately, lung cancer/disease and heart disease can hit even the healthiest individuals. I took care of a 26 year old girl dx'd with end stage lung disease, never smoked a day in her life, was given 6 months to live, leaving behind a 6 year of child. What a tragedy for everyone involved.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
36_6_2.gif I only smoke on Mondays!! its the only day of the week that i work with a real B**ch who drives me INSANE and the only way to make it through the night is to take a few smoke breaks! A pack of cigs lasts me a month or 2.
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I smoke, I am a recent graduate, just started working. Smoking is a bad habit and I am speaking for myself that yes it is a bad thing to do, and I know the effects of it on my heath, I am only 23 years old an can feel the effects of it. Unfortunatly, you have to really rev yourself up to quit, I take care of people everyday who had smoked and now are terminal because of it. I think I can speak for most though when i say that alot of us don't want to smoke but became addicted its difficult to quit, so I appoligize OP, I know it must be frustrateing to see people you care about smoke especially those of us know that are truly aware and see the effects, all I can ask is that you try to support these individuals, and try to get them to quit, and help if possible, but you cant force it. Its one of those things.

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Because healthcare professionals are human. I work with a woman who is 350 lbs, and 5'2. She doesnt smoke, but dont you think chain eating donuts can be just as dangerous? We also see the effects of obesity, and what it can do to the body. But its not a requirement that all nurses be fit and trim.

Very good analogy. I couldn't think of a better way to explain it myself. ;)

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