The Nashville area hospitals (including mine) are all implementing policies for the new year to stamp out smoking completely from their campuses. That means NO SMOKING ever anywhere on campus. Nadda!
I absolutely loathe smoking and I agree with these new policies. I can't stand smoking and feel bad for individuals who are addicted (most of my family included). Hate the sin but love the sinner.
When we think of NO SMOKING policies most of us immediately think of acute care settings. Its no big deal to have the physician order a nicotine patch.
But what about long term care units where the hospital is also a home? Is it fair to deny patients the right to have a vice? Keep in mind long term care patients have access to outside smoking areas away from non-smokers.
In this instance is no smoking paternalism?
For your consideration. Think about a vice you may have and substitute it for smoking (social drinking, sports gambling, overeating, etc). How would you feel if choice was no longer an option for you?
Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment.
The Deal About Nothing
4 years ago
Posts
My hospital system did this almost exactly one year ago today. As a non-smoker I applauded. Smoke breaks lead to more breaks in general. I got to the point where I was taking what I called 'Cheeto' breaks at one job it was so bad. They were not playing either. After one warning you are FIRED.
ReplyDeleteNext thing we should do, at least for my own good? Outlaw anything related to brownies, Dorito's, cheeseburgers, fries, cookies....you get the point!!!
I work on a smoke free campus. For those smokers that work amongst us, it's hard. They literally have to walk across the street so they aren't "on campus". This means they take longer breaks and are away from their patients longer. I like the fact that the campus is smoke free because I am severely allergic to smoke, but it has caused major inconveniences among the nurses who have to watch patients. All in all, I think it's a catch 22.
ReplyDeleteI would like a patch for nail biting and losing weight, please.
ReplyDeleteI am the person who feels sick when I smell perfume or cigarette smoke, my body reacts the same as if I were smelling vomit. It's beyond my control, so I'm relieved that more places are becoming smoke free.
I live with 2 smokers, but they are nice enough to step outside.
I work on a nonsmoking campus. I admit that I am kind of one of those healthier-than-thou former smokers and I used to think a nonsmoking campus was great. But now? I realize that stressed out family members who smoke WILL still smoke...just on the sly. And they won't always be safe about it. Or, they go lock themselves up in their car and smoke and come back extra stinky.
ReplyDeleteI love the name of your blog, btw.
We have non smoking also, but the street is public and the hospital is only a few feet from the street, so we have a pile of patients and smokers hanging out in the gutter smoking day in and day out. Someone even smoked in the public restroom on our floor a couple of days ago!! In a hospital! On an ONCOLOGY floor! With oxygen going! Now the employees have to walk about 4 blocks down the street, and how fair is it that they take 6 smoke breaks a day when the rest of us don't take any? How fair is that???
ReplyDeleteThere is no justification for a nanny state. On the other hand, I personally find drinkers to be the sleeze of the earth, and feel that even the tiniest of 'wine' sippers should be jailed until all alcohol can once again be destroyed and made illegal. Until then, we should humiliate them at every turn, push them out back behind the restaraunts and their homes, and make them ashamed of their nasty habit. We know for a fact that drinkers actually kill innocent people every day from drinking too much. Drunks do not kill their victims slowly over decades from 'exposure'.
ReplyDeletei agree with yogurt. it's so easy for the non smokers to voice an opinion about something you couldn't even begin to understand. They have smoking areas for a reason. if you are "allergic to smoke" take your ass somewhere else, and avoid those smoking areas. I'm allergic to stupid people. You bet your ass Ill be keeping my distance from you!
ReplyDelete