Using E-cigarette in a meeting

[StrawberryShortbread2001]

I'm a support worker and work on a ward. E-cigs are allowed in the communal rooms (lounge, dining room) and the bedrooms. The only time they're not allowed is in ward round.

We were having a community meeting which we have every week. E-cigarettes are allowed to be used during the meeting. This was a special meeting about a certain issue so as well as the usual service users, nurses, support workers, occupational therapists and social worker - the consultant, head social worker, psychologist and hospital manager were there. One of the service users was engaging and putting a point across with a bit of back and forth. She was using her e-cig when not talking. Suddenly the hospital manager looked at her a bit horrified and said 'are you smoking?' She said 'No! I'm using a e-cigarette' The consultant then jumped in to say she shouldn't be using it. She was embarrassed and confused at being called out on it and stopped engaging in the meeting. At the end she spoke to the consultant to tell him they always used e-cigarettes in the merting and he told her she should have known not to use it and she needs to be more flexible in her thinking.

Am I right to think 1. If e-cigs weren't to be used it should have been announced at the beginning of the meeting and 2. She shouldn't have been called out in public like that

It caused the service user a lot of upset and has really wound me up!

I'm not awfully interested in "betting", Tabby, more in what the hospital's agreed policies are - and since OP's outlined the permitted use of ecigs under certain circumstances I'm inclined to take her word for it

It's noticeable, however, that despite PPs courteously explaining the difference, you continue to refer to the use of ecigs as "smoking", sometimes several times in the same sentence ... is that to be deliberately confrontational, perhaps?

TabbyMumz is just spamming the word 'smoking' in relation to e-cigs now. I can't think of any good reason why someone would do that.

"And everyone has their own private bedrooms"
So what are the wards they are going round when they do ward rounds?

@BorissGiantJohnson - they can - that's the point. Staff and service users agree that they want service users to be able to use e-cigs in the lounge - so they can.

"TabbyMumz is just spamming the word 'smoking' in relation to e-cigs now. I can't think of any good reason why someone would do that."

Not sure what you mean,? The phrase usually used is "smoking an e-cig" I havent heard any other phrase commonly used. They do smoke it, after all, do they not?

@TabbyMumz - psychiatric ward rounds don't actually involve walking around a ward. It just refers to a weekly progress meeting that each service user has with the consultant psychiatrist.

Someone I know (and dislike) used an e-cig all the way through a wedding. They were sat on the front row and had it set to release clouds of vapour each time it was used. We were sat near the back and pretty shocked that someone thought this was acceptable. Close to the couple as well.
I can't believe it's acceptable in a meeting and someone can't wait an hour or two to use it.

@TabbyMumz - I've never heard anyone say 'smoking an e-cig' - it makes no sense as it is not smoking. People say using an e-cig or vaping.

"@BorissGiantJohnson- they can - that's the point. Staff and service users agree that they want service users to be able to use e-cigs in the lounge - so they can."

It wont be down to staff It will be down to the people who run the place, and they probably have a policy that they cant. Sounds to me that the support workers allow it on the sly. What sort of place is this? Is it an old peoples home? As you say it's a hospital, but not NHS, but that they have physios etc. Who are the physios, nurses, and Doctors employed by?

Your very first sentence says you are a support worker who works on a ward, but then you say they are all private bedrooms. Can you explain?

I've not heard and wondered what the fire risk was.

In the old days (mid-2010s) there were a few incidents of people using the wrong charger and overcharging the batteries which can lead to a fire. Battery safety has improved considerably since then. Modern e-cigs have protective circuitry to prevent overcharging.

Nevertheless, recharging any battery device still carries a very small risk whether it's an e-cig, phone, laptop ...

TabbyMumz is just spamming the word 'smoking' in relation to e-cigs now

So it appears - which is a shame, really, as it somewhat derails what seems a worthwhile discussion. The phrase about "smoking an ecig" was a particular giveaway since it's almost always called vaping now, and anyway there's no combustion involved to produce smoke

Best not to engage further, perhaps ... ?

@inaprettycabinet - it was allowed in the meeting and therefore they had no reason to wait. Noones e-cigs were creating clouds of vapor. The vast majority of attendees were happy for service users to use e-cigs. Also the e-cigs are used as a coping strategy and can help some service users engage. Bit of a different situation to a wedding!

The phrase usually used is "smoking an e-cig" I havent heard any other phrase commonly used.

It's only you who calls it that. Everyone else says 'vaping' or 'using an e-cig'

They do smoke it, after all, do they not?

No.

Best not to engage further, perhaps ... ?

Yeah, probably wise.

"This was a special meeting about a certain issue so as well as the usual service users, nurses, support workers, occupational therapists and social worker - the consultant, head social worker, psychologist and hospital manager were there".

You say all the above people were there. These will all be either NHS workers or local government workers and they are all entitled to work in a non e cig environment, so the hospital manager was quite right to ask the service worker to stop smoking it. It would be terribly embarrassing for him for all those professionals to have seen that. It only takes one of those professionals to complain and let the CQC know about it.

"The phrase usually used is "smoking an e-cig" I havent heard any other phrase commonly used."

It's only you who calls it that. Everyone else says 'vaping' or 'using an e-cig'" no the whole world calls it smoking, actually.

"They do smoke it, after all, do they not?"

"No."

How ridiculous. Of course the phrase is smoking an e cig. Vaping is an entirely different thing. Vaping is where there is massive plumes of smoke emitting from it, a type of vape. You smoke an e cig, you vape a vape. Goodness me. The op has clarified a few times that this is not vaping.

@tabbymumz - you seem to be getting hysterical! I'm not sure if you are not reading my replies or not understanding?

I have already told you it is a psychiatric hospital. It is not NHS - it is private. A ward can and often does in mental health have private bedrooms. What would you call it if not a ward?

As already explained and expanded on by many posters the policy is very definitely in favour of the use of e-cigarettes. Our smoking cessation service uses e-cig cartridges as an incentive and we have an e-cig vending machine in the hall. The staff aren't doing a very good job at hiding e-cig use from the hospital manager - are they? Perhaps they pop a curtain or something over the e-cig vending machine every time the manager walk past?

I have not said anything about physios. The doctors and nurses work for the hospital.

"Also the e-cigs are used as a coping strategy and can help some service users engage. Bit of a different situation to a wedding!"

Most hospitals use patches, so as other people are not affected.

you seem to be getting hysterical!
No, not at all quite relaxed actually.

YANBU if they're usually allowed and no announcement was made varying this however personally I'm bry surprised that they are allowed particularly given the impact of them is as yet not entirely clear and it was a healthcare setting

@Puzzledandpissedoff - sorry might be a bit naive - why are they spamming smoking?

"The doctors and nurses work for the hospital"
The social worker will not. They work for local government.

Not sure what you mean,? The phrase usually used is "smoking an e-cig" I havent heard any other phrase commonly used. They do smoke it, after all, do they not?

No that isn’t a commonly used phrase because no smoke is involved. It’s vapour, hence vape. Vapour and smoke are completely different things. As I suspect you very well know, you’re muddying the waters quite deliberately.

@TabbyMumz - they do not work for the NHS - they work for the private hospital. All of the hospitals in the group allow e-cigs (and patches) so you are wrong. It is not news to these staff that e-cigs are used - they see them everday! And they were quite evident when the CQC were over last week!!