15 replies to this topic

[NawlinsGirl]

I personally feel we should practice what we preach. How can we tell someone not to smoke or not to over eat if we are smoking and over eating ourselves.. seems a little hypocritical dont you think ?

[3boyzmom]

I don't think that doctors and nurses can be expected to be super-human. It would be nice- but you wouldn't have very many doctors and nurses. I'm not promoting smoking, overeating, etc., they're not OK for anyone... but docs and nurses aren't immune to bad habits or practices. We all just try to help each other the best we can, and medical professionals are armed with knowledge- they can pass this on to others even if they're personally not able to follow all the advice that they give. It's still good advice!

I don't smoke, and can't stand to be around it. I do struggle with my weight, though, and I also enjoy a drink now and then. I'd hate to think that I'd get stamped "unworthy" to help others.

I hear what you're saying, and I agree with your basic point, but I think that realistically we have to accept that we're all only human and everyone has their faults and weaknesses.

[mattsmom]

I believe docs and nurses who smoke open themselves up to ridicule; but agree we are only human. I admit I hate when my coworkers come in from their smoke breaks...they reek. I am told I cannot wear a light fragrance to work lest I offend someone...but they can come in smelling like an ashtray. Hmmm.

I grew up in chain smokers' homes and they would not stop; even when I was hospitalized every winter with asthmatic bronchitis ('croup' in those days). It really is a nasy and very addictive habit, and I'm glad I never got into it. I'm not one to lecture, however...I tend to use humor and tease that they're ensuring there will always be jobs for future nurses.

[3boyzmom]

Re: smoke breaks: I always wondered what the smokers on the unit would think if all the other nurses went downstairs for ten minutes every couple of hours to just have a soda or something!

I have never smoked either, and I also credit that to having grown up in a home with parents who were heavy smokers. I remember those road trips, with the inside of the car so smoky you could hardly see out the windows!

[Pete]

This maybe slightly off topic, but I always have a dilemma when it comes to the anti-smoking lobby. I dont smoke and I do not like the smell of smoke but I am against those who compaign against those who do smoke by denying them smoking rooms in hospital.
My health trust is soon to put in a trust wide ban on smoking on its property and give nurses the right to refuse to give a home visit to clients who are smoking. I know the risks of passive smoking but I find this a step too far.
I work in mental health. Clients suffer from nightmarish stress levels on admission to hospital or during illness and some come to hospital under compulsary admissions under the mental health act. Its at this time we are expected to tell a client that they cannot smoke and if you are under legal restrictions you may not be able to leave the unit either. This may sound good advice to those who sit in offices and away from clients but they are asking nurses to face clients and tell them that they are unable to smoke. This could lead to further distress and maybe angry confrontations with clients.
I used to work in a general hospital who prided itself by telling people that smoking was banned everywhere on its premises but you could not walk into any of the loos without the smell of smoke. This puts everyone at risk from fire from those who find inappropiate places to smoke.
I do not believe you can stop somone smoking by restricting their addictive behavour. It does not work with alcoholics or drug abusers so why is it expected to work with smokers.
It maybe the wrong message for a nurse to be seen smoking but I hate it when I feel that people are trying to present a false image to clients that some people like Doctors and Nurses do not smoke. Sometimes for those to do smoke to share a cigarette with a client can do wonders in building therapuetic relationships with them.
Cancer and heart conditions from smoking are terrible conditions I know but I believe that clients should be given the chance to slay one dragon at a time. Nurses do after all have the chance to leave the premises. Some clients do not.
I admit, I for one, am just going to go blind when I see a client smoking as long as they are not doing so near none smokers. I think we should not remove smoking rooms for clients.

[mattsmom]

Pete, I feel your comments as related to psych are very valid; and feel smoking rooms should be provided whenever possible in the psych setting. I believe hospitals should have a 'designated smoking area' where patients can go; but there has to be some limits set. I can think of patients who would demand a nurse escort them out every hour, or even camp out in the smoking area for hours at a time, regardless of their condition or any other considerations. My last facility had to implement a signed smoking policy, stating we were not responsible for getting them to a smoking area, and if they wanted to go smoke a family member must assume responsibility and supervise them. Its a big problem.

I remember when patients, visitors and staff smoked...there was a haze in the unit...with nurses smoking in the break rooms. I'm glad those days are over. I don't get acute bronchitis for months on end every winter like I did back then, working in the smoky environment. The flight attendants successfully sued the airlines...wonder if nurses can sue the AHA??? LOL!

[3boyzmom]

Pete, I also agree that some arrangements have to be made in a psych setting. I worked in mental health for 16 years. You are right; sometimes these folks are under such stress and turmoil that cutting off smoking privileges would only escalate the already existing problems. We used to have a smoking room on our unit; but when the hospital went smoke-free that included our unit. Frankly, I have to say I was glad. Having to go into one room where eight or ten or more people were smoking was extremely uncomfortable for me, and I hated going home smelling like smoke.

So, the first solution was that patients could go downstairs and outside to smoke. If they had privileges, they could go unescorted, but if they were on any kind of precautions, staff had to accompany. It worked OK with people who were able to reason; even those with personality disorders that caused them to be somewhat dramatic and demanding were usually eventually able to cope somewhat. But for psychotic or schizophrenic patients agitation really increased because they couldn't understand the concept of the schedule. And if you made exceptions and let them go more often or stay longer, then that tied up a staff member away from the unit for unreasonable periods.

In the end they did something kind of novel- we were on the 3rd floor of the hospital, and the second floor roof extended farther out. They made an outdoor smoking room. It had iron bars all around it, which made it look like a cage, but the patients (and staff) were very happy with it. It allowed them to be "outdoors" without having to be escorted. The ventilation, of course, was superb. Staff didn't have to go out there, but if there were staff who were smokers, they would go sit with the patients and share a smoke. You're right, this does tend to help with the bonding in some way.

This brings up the point- in the med-surg setting, etc., there are often patients who have psychiatric histories, or are just plain under tremendous stress. I know they suffer from being denied. Fortunately for most people hospital stays are pretty brief these days. It's also common to go outside and find people in gowns with their IV poles, smoking on the patios. That makes me cringe, because if they're sick enough to be on IV's, or in the hospital period, they probably shouldn't be unattended.

In the in-between-stages of all this, there was a time when the hospital basically went smoke free but the individual patients were able to smoke in their rooms IF there was a written doctor's order. As much as I hate smoke, I could live with this. It still meant that lounges, nurses' stations, cafeterias, etc. were free of smoke. I do understand the smoke-free thing being meant to promote positive health practices. In reality, though, I doubt that spending a few days in the hospital without a smoke has made very many people give up the habit.

[NawlinsGirl]

HI ALL,

I DONT THINK WE ARE TAKING IN ACCOUNT THE SAFETY ISSUE CONCERNING PATIENTS SMOKING IN THEIR ROOMS.. WHAT ABOUT THE COMBUSTIBLE 02 IN WHICH I HAVE SEEN A FEW PEOPLE CATCH ON FIRE FROM SMOKING.. I AGREE PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES MAY NEED THAT BUT IF YOU ARE IN A REGULAR HOSPITAL SETTINGS I DONT THINK ITS WISE FOR THE PATIENT TO BE ALLOWED SMOKING PRIVIDLEGS WITH ALL THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD OCCUR.

NAWLINSGIRL

[Pete]

HI ALL,

I DONT THINK WE ARE TAKING IN ACCOUNT THE SAFETY ISSUE CONCERNING PATIENTS SMOKING IN THEIR ROOMS.. WHAT ABOUT THE COMBUSTIBLE 02 IN WHICH I HAVE SEEN A FEW PEOPLE CATCH ON FIRE FROM SMOKING.. I AGREE PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES MAY NEED THAT BUT IF YOU ARE IN A REGULAR HOSPITAL SETTINGS I DONT THINK ITS WISE FOR THE PATIENT TO BE ALLOWED SMOKING PRIVIDLEGS WITH ALL THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD OCCUR.

NAWLINSGIRL

This is another reason for having a safe area for a person to smoke such as a smoking room.
I know in a psychiatric setting it is different because it is very rare we use O2 or have it any where but the clinic for emergency purposes.
Please, I am not saying smoking is a good thing, it most definitley is not, but to demand its stopping at times of psychiatric distress for me appears insensitive. Like most addictions, the person has to come to the descision that they are to stop it and this cannot be forced upon them.

[mattsmom]

HI ALL,

I DONT THINK WE ARE TAKING IN ACCOUNT THE SAFETY ISSUE CONCERNING PATIENTS SMOKING IN THEIR ROOMS.. WHAT ABOUT THE COMBUSTIBLE 02 IN WHICH I HAVE SEEN A FEW PEOPLE CATCH ON FIRE FROM SMOKING.. I AGREE PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES MAY NEED THAT BUT IF YOU ARE IN A REGULAR HOSPITAL SETTINGS I DONT THINK ITS WISE FOR THE PATIENT TO BE ALLOWED SMOKING PRIVIDLEGS WITH ALL THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD OCCUR.

NAWLINSGIRL

My safety officer tells me that every single hospital fire on record has been due to patients smoking in their rooms, so this is indeed a valid point. This is a tough issue because I understand addiction, but I also cannot stand working in a smoke filled environment. I would have to retire if forced to do it again; its not worth my health.

Generally there is a smoker around who could go out ocassionally with an ill patient, but patients shouldn't feel entitled to this. I feel sorry for LTC nurses; as their patients have the 'right' to an assistant whenever they wish. I could not work this type environment.

I like the idea of smoking 'rooms' like the airports have; but you won't see ever me every going there with my patient...LOL! They get a Nic patch and Ativan!

[NawlinsGirl]

LOL MOM I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF A NIC PATCH AND ATIVAN

[nursepeachie]

Although I used to smoke for 14 years, I have been quit for 5 months now. I never realized how bad it stinks until I quit!! Anyway, I feel like yes, we should practice what we preach, but it really comes down to our own personal choices. When I smoked, I always did it outdoors, and I never smoked around my children, even outside. (I stopped smoking during both pregnancies.) I dont think any of us have the right to tell each other what to do with our own bodies-- we all know the dangers of smoking and if some of us choose to continue to smoke, then so be it!

[Lucy S]

In today's world with everyone telling us what we can and can't do, whether doctors or nurses smoke is a matter for them. However, what they should consider is their colleagues and more importantly the patients. I do not smoke, but the number of my colleages that do, standing outside the hospital in all weathers, and the smell on their uniform is very hard to hide.

When that nurse etc, is getting close to a patient, is it fair on them to be subject to the smell?

Perhaps we should say no smoking whilst on duty??

[Pete]

In today's world with everyone telling us what we can and can't do, whether doctors or nurses smoke is a matter for them. However, what they should consider is their colleagues and more importantly the patients. I do not smoke, but the number of my colleages that do, standing outside the hospital in all weathers, and the smell on their uniform is very hard to hide.

When that nurse etc, is getting close to a patient, is it fair on them to be subject to the smell?

Perhaps we should say no smoking whilst on duty??

I do not like smoking either, but I am also working with clients who are often pretty stressed out. Asking them to stop whilst under psychiatric care is a tough one. Asking stresssed out nursing staff to quit whilst on duty is also a tough one. The job can be very trying sometimes. I feel that in our area we need to encourage positive choice rather than force.
I wish that smoking was the only smell one puts up with in psychiatry but there are those clients who will not wash too. If you forced them to wash against their will, I guess one would have a human rights case on your hands. Forcing someone to stop smoking in an environment where many are not there by choice also has to have human rights implications.
I do not like it but I cannot pretend there are not problems applying the no smoking regime especially as one of the exempt areas for smoking in public areas legislation happens to be our UK houses of parliment. It seems its a case of do not do as I do, but do as I say.

[ranchwife]

One of the most wonderful nurses I have ever had the pleasure of working with has been a smoker since her teens.........she quit, but ended up taking up the habit when her husband and father of 2 small boys committed suicide 14 years ago!!! She has tried the patch, the gum, the lozenge, the pills....so far, they have all helped curb the craving, but not able to eradicate completely!! She is a danged good nurse and I would not trade her for anything....not even a non-smoker!! Yes, we are supposed to lead by example......but many docs and nurses started smoking before the FULL effects of nicotine and the other carcinogens were known!!