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!

TabbyMumz

Give it a fucking rest. You clearly havent a clue what a psychiatric ward looks like or how it operates and the fact that many many many patients are treat in private hospitals with their own staff outside of the NHS.

why are they spamming smoking?

I think Pencil's use of the word referred to the constant repetition of "smoking" when the difference had been repeatedly explained?

As said, I sometimes find it best to disengage with this kind of thing ...

@PencilsInSpace - thanks for that about fire risk.

The social worker will not. They work for local government.

There are 2 social workers in our team who are employed by the nhs trust we work for. You clearly know nothing about this.... its laughable really.

@Puzzledandpissedoff - thanks

Not appropriate.

"Give it a fucking rest. You clearly havent a clue what a psychiatric ward looks like or how it operates and the fact that many many many patients are treat in private hospitals with their own staff outside of the NHS."
No. Who are you, the thread police? If I want to engage in a thread, I will. That's what they are for, for people to engage and discuss. I havent seen where she mentioned it's a physiactric ward. It's all been a bit of a drip feed. Firstly she just said it was a hospital, but not BHS, so I'm thing private home of some sort Then she says its secure. Which to me still doesnt spell it out that it's a psychiatric hospital. But I am right in that Social workers work for local government, and they are protected from going into an environment with smoke/vape, whatever you want to call it.

Strawberry, you have the patience of a saint.

NHS not bhs

@newmumatlast - e-cigs are 95% better for health than cigarettes and passive smoking doesn't occur either. They can help people stop or reduce smoking. Within a mental health setting they can help service users remain relaxed and reduce self harm etc. So there are some very good reasons for them being in a health care setting.

There are 2 social workers in our team who are employed by the nhs trust we work for. You clearly know nothing about this.... its laughable really.

Most social workers work for local government. They go into hospitals on a regular basis, so not laughable, no.

I think it would be helpful to point out that in normal hospital settings, patients can come and go as the please. In psychiatric settings they cannot. They are sometimes detained and therefore would not have access to go outside. Or if the do it would have to be with staff(if and when available). For many mental health patients smoking (the actual use of a e cig or cigarettes is calming), more so than a simple patch can be. Use of e cigs is permitted in such circumstances as patients can be detained for months or even years.

Psychiatric settings are very different to normal hospital wards. Patients would normally have private rooms (regardless of NHS/private) and the ward round is normally held in a meeting room.

Patients (hate the term service users- it's very reductionalist) are always given smoking cessation advice and the option of patches but in my experience very few would take these up.

In the hospital's I've worked in (NHS) e cigs are allowed. But have to be from the supply bought by the hospital. Patient then pays a small fee. Charging and refills is offered by staff from the central (locked) nursing station. It is given as a prescribed drug. It is a necessary evil to adhere to the smoking ban which would be impossible in such places.

Even if they do work for the NHS Trust, that means they are protected against stuff like this. They have a right to work in a safe non vape atmosphere.

@TabbyMumz - you are wrong - our social workers are employed by the hospital.

It is true I didn't state a psychiatric hospital in my OP - although I have told you directly it is. However most intelligent people were able to pick up from the fact I said I was a support worker and used the term service user and said psychologists were at the meeting that it was a psych ward. But maybe I should have been clearer? But you don't seem to understand however clear I am - using an e-cig (cig shaped vape) or a larger vape are not smoking. And they are encouraged by the NHS.

In the hospital's I've worked in (NHS) e cigs are allowed. But have to be from the supply bought by the hospital

That's interesting, Silentnight - can I ask what type they supply (as in if they're the cig-lookalikes or the more popular ones with a coiled/wicked cartridge?)

@EC22 - why?

@TabbyMumz - they work for a private hospital - however the NHS tells us to encourage e-cig use and that it is safe so no idea where you are getting your ideas from!

@Alsohuman

@Silentnight87 - I agree actually and I think people prefer being called 'patients'. But we are constantly told to say 'service user'! Probably comes from the flipping hospital manager!!

In the hospital's I've worked in (NHS) e cigs are allowed. But have to be from the supply bought by the hospital. Patient then pays a small fee. Charging and refills is offered by staff from the central (locked) nursing station. It is given as a prescribed drug.

This is interesting. Especially the prescribing. My trust considered and trialled this on one ward but decided against it. Most of the service users prefer the big vape devices with all the clouds anyway, hence the ban on them indoors.

@TabbyMumz - could you show me some legislation that says people are entitled to a 'safe non-vape atmosphere'?

If I want to engage in a thread, I will. That's what they are for, for people to engage and discuss.

There is absolutely no evidence of you engaging or discussing. Making the same wrong and stupid points doesn’t count.

@FormerlyFrikadela01 - for some reason people are allowed e-cigs but not the bigger vapes - even off hospital grounds. I know some of the women who use -e-cigs would rather use their bigger vapes.

Strawberry have some , I'd need it if I was you.

Strawberry, you have the patience of a saint

Seconded.