Hospital Will No Longer Hire Smokers

[itku2er]

Where I am working its going to a smoke free enviroment. If the companies you work for are going to make it manatory then I feel they should have some kind of programs they offer to aid in the stop smoking area. I also agree with KAT that they should go after the alcholics and drug addicts too. The admininsator we have is all into partying so if I have to give up my cigarettes why shouldn't he have to give up his alcohol? Just my two cents worth here.

[VentMedic]

What an unattainable goal to set. In every aspect, on every guideline? Doubtful. If they do, I would love to see the hiring guidelines. And how many clinic staff are going to be let go due to these infractions?

For employees with direct patient care in my hospital this is also a reality. The RT and nursing departments do smoking cessation teaching. Part of the job requirement is to be a non-smoker. If you did not meet your job qualifications (after several assistance programs), you could be terminated even and especially if you are a nurse or RT. Some abandoned ship when finding out what the new rules were only to find themselves again in the same situation at a new employer. The employers are going out of their way to offer every possible service to help the employee. This is not a cold turkey firing.

If you want to be a healthcare worker, you may have to make a personal sacrifice for the patients. If not, there are probably other jobs that don't require contact with humans that you might be better suited for. Patients have the right to be free of nausea and bronchospasms induced by an employee who smells like an ash tray. If you have ever had chemotherapy or some form of reactive airway disease, you may be able identify with what these patients go through. We also have firefighters and industrial workers who have been exposed to chemicals and are now very odor sensitive and disabled.

Co-workers of smokers get tired of switching assignments because of odor sensitive patients and employees who go for a cigarette every couple of hours with a new smell of smoke on them. Of course, the breaks smokers take for a cigarette are not realbreaks, as they will still want coverage for those too.

[katbemeEMT-B]

As I stated, so it's not okay to be a smoker, but it is okay to be an alcoholic (or even casual night before partier) or drug user. I would think that either of those two would pose a must higher risk than some one who smokes. I agree that when you are doing patient care it should be a smoke free environment, hence; why I don't smoke at work. But how am I affecting patients when I am off duty and at home? On the other hand, if I were a drinker or drug user and did them while off duty and at home, those things will stay in my system for as long as 72 hours or more. This has a direct affect on my thought process, motor skills, and rationality. I see no businesses stating a no alcohol policy. I see a lot of them do initial drug testing when you are first hired and tell you that you are subject to random drug tests but in ten years I have never been tested. By law, they can not test individual people, they must test every employee. It's not cost effective to test all employees.

[Just Plain Ruff]

my grandmother is severely allergic/susceptible to the smell of smoke, perfume and any strong smelling odors(yes poop is one she doesnt do well around too)

One day a resp therapist who just got finished smoking one or a pack of cigarettes came in to give my mother a resp. treatment.

My grandmother started to wheeze, cough and get short of breath. She needed some pretty significant treatment before she got back to normal.

I for one do not like the smell of smoke but my grandmother is a severe example of this.

The smell of cigarette smoke is terrible to me and I agree with the hospital/clinic for going this route. I do not think it is discrimination. If you don't like it you can work elsewhere.

The research proves that smokers have a higher than average rate of absenteeism, associated medical problems that go along with smoking.

Nicotine is useful to schizophrenics but it's nicotine and not the cigarette that is useful to them.

They can take the nicotine out of the tobacco but you can't take the smell out of the smoker.

sorry if it sounds harsh but my grandmother suffered due to someone who smoked.

[VentMedic]

Ruffems, you speak the truth. RTs as Dustdevil joked about earlier have been as guilty as anyone else of being smokers themselves.

It is LESS cost effective in terms of worker's comp claims and potential damages by medication errors when the employee is involved with drugs or alcohol. A sentinel event is not the time to find out about drug and alcohol testing.

Drugs and alcohol are major offenses. First offense, the physicians and hospital workers are offered treatment but also must summit to drug and alcohol testing routinely and randomly. Surf up the professional boards for nursing, MDs and RTs in almost any state and you will find an extensive list of disciplinary actions taken not just by the hospital but by the licensing board. For any employee, any on the job injury and in some cases needle sticks, the employee will be drug tested. Alcohol will not stay in the system if a 1 or 2 beer/wine drinker that long. However, we have had employees test out at .25 and still appear to be functioning. There was no denying their chronic dependency on alcohol. We have also had professionals addicted to pain medication. This too was be treated as any addiction and they are given the chance to receive help per the guidelines by the hospital and their licensing boards.

katbemeEMT-B

You may be the exception to the smokers that can not go 13 hours without a cigarette. So, why not just try for the other 11 hours?

[chaser]

If you want to be a healthcare worker, you may have to make a personal sacrifice for the patients...

.

This I understand, and I fully understand the issues with odors involved with smoking, perfumes, and patient tolerance. Also with increases in breaks and decreases in productivity among smoking employees....

I was addressing the broader question of where do you draw the line? Forget smoking and drinking for a moment. What about other health no no's? No eating red meat? Are you 10 -20lbs overweight? Will the employer give 30-45 minute paid exercise breaks during work time (as it is recommended we all get regular cardiac workouts)? Is everyone forced to drink 8 glasses of water per day? No eating from fast food restaurants? Are you talking on your cell phone too much? Do you live under power lines? Do you use an electric blanket? Too much stress in your life? Drink too much coffee? Eat too much sugar? Are you taking vitamin supplements? Did you eat red M & M's?

How involved should your employers be? Is it within legal rights for employers to pick and chose which guidelines to draw from?

This kind of action has the potential to set precedents.

I know I went a bit extreme. I just wanted to put it out there for discussion.

Who defines the line employers can take as to what is detrimental to employees' health (and therefore patient care), and employees living by example?

[VentMedic]

I was addressing the broader question of where do you draw the line? Forget smoking and drinking for a moment. What about other health no no's? No eating red meat? No eating from fast food restaurants? Drink too much coffee? Eat too much sugar? Did you eat red M & M's?

This kind of action has the potential to set precedents.

I know I went a bit extreme.

I hear your concerns which are all valid. Did you ever work for a hospital owned by the Seven Day Adventists?

I smuggled my coffee and colas, not to mention real meat for the two years I worked there. I hear they have lightened up now and are allowing their patients to at least have meat.

These restrictions are actually nothing new for hospitals. Unfortunately, there ARE more perks for those that smoke and are overweight than those who aren't. The smokers get a choice of many programs including massage and Tai Chi classes to relax. For the overweight, there are health club memberships with monetary bonuses for amounts of weight lost. Yes the non-smokers and norm weight can take part but usually will have to pay some fee and no bonuses, except for health. Fair?

[rock_shoes]

If you are a health care professional any action that could impair your judgement or the health of your patient should not be tolerated. That includes the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and drugs in my book. Simple fact of life. Of course if you can go your entire shift without a cigarette more power to you. Willing to bet the vast majority of smokers can't and hence hiring practices such as this hospitals arise.

[Dooger]

And I can argue that several cities have already tried it here. While eating establishments rebounded, some bars did not. Several ended up closing due to a steep decline in revenue. With a much higher tax on alchohol than on food, it would not be wise to impose this ban on bars. The revenue to the state alone could be detrimential during a time when our state is already struggling.

It looks like there's a fundamental difference between Canadians & Americans & their tolerance/loyalties in this particular set of circumstances.

[vivibonita]