To be a bit unsure about the practicalities of smoke-free hospitals?

[Writerwannabe83]

I have just heard on the radio that a hospital has gone Smoke Free in the sense that neither staff or patients can smoke on hospital grounds. My initial thought was that it is a good thing but at the same time I did wonder if it was a bit unfair on the smokers?

I know it's ironic to see patients having a cigarette outside the hospital entrance and I know it's not ideal to have staff smelling of cigarettes but at the same time, smoking is an addiction and how realistic or helpful is it to make patients and staff go cold turkey?

If a nurse is working from 07.15-20.30pm then 13 hours without a cigarette may be a long time for some staff who are used to their cigarette breaks and could their craving affect their work if they feel stressed without a cigarette, I don't know?

Also, if a patient can't go outside for their usual cigarette break will having nicotine withdrawal symptoms for days on end really be beneficial to their recovery (assuming their admission isn't related to their smoking)?

Maybe I'm being naive but I just have my misgivings about it. I understand the public health reasons for doing it but I can't help but think there will be some negatives within this initiative.

I have visions of ill people not going to A&E when they perhaps need to because they would worry they would be admitted and not be able to smoke.....

Whilst I think staff should smoke what you experienced midnite is bang out of order. A patient shouldn't have to smell a smokers smoke. I smoked in the past and would get a non smoking colleague to give me a quick sniff. I always passed the sniff test because I made sure my uniform was covered, washed my hands afterwards and had my hair right back. Wouldn't have gone for one if I couldn't do that.

Sorry, should be able to not should

It's funny how people are so thoughtful towards people who overeat because of 'food addition' but smokers can get dragged through the mud.

But someone who over eats is expected to starve before an operation. I had a scan a couple of years ago where I had to starve from midnight until after the test that was at 4.30pm.

Can't a smoker go without for a few hours when undertaking treatment?

We make allowances for smokers we don't for other addictions, a nurse who is a functioning alcoholic will have to be sober for shifts, how is that different to a smoker going without for 12 hours?

An alcoholic patient will not be given alcohol, they may be given other drugs to help with withdrawal, as smokers often are.

GraysAnalogy - I'll admit that I was probably overly sensitive whilst in labour (I was induced, nausea, contractions coming on top of each other, it was not a day I'll look back on with undiluted pleasure). I also gave birth alone, so didn't have anyone to step in and run interference for me when this woman kept trying to lean over me and rub my forehead (which annoyed the crap out of me anyway, but her smell and breath right near my face was just awful. I kept apologising to her when I told her to go away, but it really was intolerable for me that day. I'm sure there are plenty of considerate smokers, but those that aren't and work in a caring role need to be pulled up on it.

I'm a teacher, and it's in my contract that I cannot smoke anywhere on school premises (this is a law, and also applies to parents, visitors, etc). I am also not allowed to . If you want to be a teacher here, you need to accept that smoking, at least during the work day is not acceptable. You either comply or you don't do the job. I don't see why medical staff shouldn't be subject to the same requirements.

I think MN have approved my blog now but if not feel free to remove this. I wrote something about smoking and smoke free hospitals and the sometimes complex relationship with it when you're a mental health patient, with issues around liberty and agency.

thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/i-smoked-all-englands-cigarettes-mental-illness-and-smoking/

I quit smoking because I'm pregnant but interestingly got no help for it, they kept forgetting to refer me to stop smoking midwife. As a pregnant person with MH issues, apparently this is common, to be more motivated to quit but less likely to be offered help:
www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/news/records/2012/November/pregnancy-mental-health-disorders-smoking.aspx

So it isn't as simple as just taking NRT as sometimes the help isn't there. In this case I think there's an attitude that a few fags is less harmful than a relapse. But is it? The few fags supports an addiction that in the end is probably more likely to kill you.

I'm interested to hear about Broadmoor, and nurse friends have said similar at their trusts, no riots, but as been mentioned it's been harder in acute/short term settings. But it's making me revise my opinion that maybe we should stop viewing smoking and mental health as a special case.

Also think dedicated shelters are better too. People will smoke somewhere.

Maybe there will be some adverse incidents as a result of patients walking 10 minutes away to go for a cigarette off hospital grounds that may make the Trust re-evaluate their policy and decide if providing smoking shelters on hospital grounds is actually the best option as opposed to a total ban.

I'm a mental health nurse and as spidey says, the evidence is that the smoking ban hasn't increased the number of violent incidents on wards.
However, from a humanitarian point of view, I think that telling detained patients that they can't smoke is cruel. They have no choice about being there and have often been brought in in very traumatic circumstances ie lots of Police officers, they may have been restrained and/or handcuffed. They arrive on the ward and are then told that they can't have a cigarette which is the first thing any smoker wants to do when they're stressed.
The rates of smoking among those with mental illness are shocking: Approx 21% of the general population smoke compared to 64% of people with schizophrenia, 54% of people with a personality disorder and 34% of people with depression. Something absolutely needs to be done about that but I just don't think this is the way to do it.
People with severe mental illness are one of the most disempowered groups in society and many of them will perceive this as being just another way for staff to control them.
I found giving up smoking incredibly empowering but that was because it was my choice, not something I was coerced into.
All the bumph in our trust says that patients will be given support not to smoke but they're not - they get a nicotine patch stuck on them but no psychological support as few of the staff are trained in this and the ones that are trained don't have the time.
As a result, pretty much all of them start smoking again as soon as they get the chance.

After my serious head injury, I didn't know what I was saying or doing so staff let me smoke on the wards balcony. Rather than let me off of the ward as could have had a turn at anytime.

Everyone who smokes should have a designated area where ever you work.

sashh you really think those two are comparible? If you eat before an operation you can't have it. It's that simple. Smoking doesn't have an effect on you being able to have an operation.

Our local hospital is 'smoke free'.

The reality is the staff have a load of camping chairs, fishing umbrellas and crates set up on a bank right near the entrance to the car park which gives a charming look to the place
The patients despite having two shelters a minute away from the doorway still congregate right next to the door.

Maybe they should encourage vaping and allow it in certain areas indoors. (Disclaimer I know nothing about the safety of e-cigarettes)

As long as there's a place for patents to go outside that's ok. I know smokers don't get much sympathy, but imagine being told:

"sorry you have 3 days to live and btw we thought you might like to spend them going through nicotine withdrawal"