Working on a smoke-free campus

[ivorybunny]

I was wondering if anyone had any information or advice about working at a smoke-free hospital. This was newly started back in Novemeber and for me I don't see the point. I was wondering what are other hospitals policies on when a patient wants to leave the floor to smoke. This is what I don't get- we tell everyone that it's a smoke free campus, however we can not stop the patient from leaving the floor and going outside the ER and lighting up. The only action the nurse takes is having them sign a release of responibility if something happens to them while they are off the floor- but there are no consequences for actually smoking on hospital property. I don't understand why a hospital would take such a stance then not enforce it.

Also, are there any current smokers working at a smoke free facility that feel as though there is discrimination against them?

[RNKPCE]

My work went smoke free about 2 years ago. The whole campus inside and outside. What I found bad is people smoked in the street by the gutter and the gutter was filled with cigarette butts I means hundreds of them. I emailed our CEO and complained the next day the gutters were clean and must be cleaned regularly because I have only seen a few cigarette butts at a time in the gutters now.

[ivorybunny]

A poster commented about having patient leave AMA when they go out to smoke- for me this makes sense.... it's against our hospital policy and against medical advice. However, risk management said that we weren't allowed to make them sign AMA... I was wondering what the process is in places that have them sign out AMA and are there any legal concerns about this? I think that's why our hospital said we couldn't, they were worried about backlask.

For me, it's a like... Welcome to XYZ, we are a smoke free campus, however, if you decided to leave the floor and sit outside the ED and smoke, there's technically nothing we can do about it....

We don't even have a consequence for patient's who have smoked in their room...

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

a poster commented about having patient leave ama when they go out to smoke- for me this makes sense.... it's against our hospital policy and against medical advice. however, risk management said that we weren't allowed to make them sign ama... i was wondering what the process is in places that have them sign out ama and are there any legal concerns about this? i think that's why our hospital said we couldn't, they were worried about backlask.

for me, it's a like... welcome to xyz, we are a smoke free campus, however, if you decided to leave the floor and sit outside the ed and smoke, there's technically nothing we can do about it....

we don't even have a consequence for patient's who have smoked in their room...

why is this? if they are going outside to smoke, they are leaving. even if they aren't going as far away as they're supposed to (meaning off campus), they are leaving. we make out pts sign out ama if they go, even if they come back, which they do. each time they do it, sometimes. that is the risk they are choosing to run.

it doesn't need to be brought up when they first come in. if you find out they are going, or if they ask, let them know you will need them to sign the form, in case something happens while they are off the floor. if they refuse to sign, then two staff need to sign (there should be a policy on that). if risk management won't allow it (which makes no sense), just document, document, document. i think the issue with rm needs to be pursued further, however. all it's going to take is one incident happening to a patient while they're off the floor smoking, and they'll change their tune....

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

Originally Posted by mamamerlee

Why do

ANY

nurses smoke?

Same question could be asked why would they be overweight, why would they use illegal substances, why would they drink alcohol, why would they not exercise regularly, etc.

Answer - We are all human and many of us have a weakness of some kind.

But, back to the OP. I do smoke, wish I didn't, have tried every available method to quit and never quite make it. One day, I WILL get there. Mean while, I don't smoke in my house or anywhere else around my kids or my non-smoking parents. It is all about respect & if more smokers could have been a little more respectful years ago we wouldn't be in this state of Taboo now.

I agree, smokers shouldn't be huddled around the doors, that is just inconsiderate. I also don't agree with the "smoke huts" & wouldn't be caught dead in mine at work. Might as well just roll around in bon fire and go back into work. Yuck.

Thank you for this, Nascar Nurse. I hate it when broad questions get thrown out there like this. So, yes, some nurses (and, *gasp*, doctors, RT's, therapists, etc etc etc) smoke....but some also don't regularly exercise, some drink alcohol (to excess), some overeat, some drive too fast, .... you get the picture. We're human, after all. Nobody's perfect.