Children's Hospital saying no to new hires who smoke

[SandiR]

Why not quit then? Seriously, if it's really not a big deal to go a half of a day without ONE cigarette, why not save your money, time, and health and quit.

Oh yeah...because it really is an addictive substance and NOT that easy for the vast majority to go without it for 12-13 hours. Otherwise, it would be a piece of cake to quit...and we all know that is not the case.

Yeah, I'm sure it's very hard for smokers to go that long without a cigarette. But if it's the breaks that are the issue, then it makes sense to mandate them. This way, you are controlling what happens at work. Telling people what they can do on their own time is what I object to. That is what is intrusive.

If they really can't control themselves and continue to take unauthorized breaks, that seems like cause to fire them. However, the idea of firing or not hiring someone for what they do in their personal lives is disturbing to me.

ETA - my MIL smokes one cigarette in the morning with breakfast and one at night. That's it. So she really can go 12 hours without one. Go figure.

 

[ReneeA]

Yeah, I'm sure it's very hard for smokers to go that long without a cigarette. But if it's the breaks that are the issue, then it makes sense to mandate them. This way, you are controlling what happens at work. Telling people what they can do on their own time is what I object to. That is what is intrusive.

If they really can't control themselves and continue to take unauthorized breaks, that seems like cause to fire them. However, the idea of firing or not hiring someone for what they do in their personal lives is disturbing to me.

ETA - my MIL smokes one cigarette in the morning with breakfast and one at night. That's it. So she really can go 12 hours without one. Go figure.

Man I wish it was that easy to just replace experienced icu nurses. It's really not in my best interests to fire them. We suck it up and cover their several smoke breaks per shift so that we can have experienced nurses. It's a trade off, but still frustrating.

 

[bittybabygrower]

Most hospital systems have had this mandated for awhile. The one my father works for draws nicotine levels to see if folks smoke as a part of the employment process.

This also means that hospital cafes need to be conscience of what they serve. Obesity doesn't look good either.

Come work at Cleveland Clinic!

 

[ronandannette]

Man I wish it was that easy to just replace experienced icu nurses. It's really not in my best interests to fire them. We suck it up and cover their several smoke breaks per shift so that we can have experienced nurses. It's a trade off, but still frustrating.

But still the CHOICE of the employer - right? Not the fault of the "demon smokers" that you'd have a hard time replacing them, or aren't willing to try. And I have to wonder about what rules you can enforce when you fail to discipline such blatant contravention of the stated break times. I'd also bet money that the non-smokers have their own ways of misusing company time - I know the non-smokers at my work place sure do and management that noticeably allows laxity in its staff cultivates those behaviours.

 

[luvsJack]

Why not quit then? Seriously, if it's really not a big deal to go a half of a day without ONE cigarette, why not save your money, time, and health and quit.

Oh yeah...because it really is an addictive substance and NOT that easy for the vast majority to go without it for 12-13 hours. Otherwise, it would be a piece of cake to quit...and we all know that is not the case.

I didn't say they didn't want one when they got in the car or smoke when they got home. . One instructor has students in the OR. She can't leave the students or the OR and she can't smoke in the OR so what choice does she have? Now that she is used to it, sje does fine.

I ran a daycare. Couldn't smoke there and couldn't leave. However long I was there each day, I didn't smoke.

Doesn't mean its not addictive. But you do what you get used to.

 

[ReneeA]

But still the CHOICE of the employer - right? Not the fault of the "demon smokers" that you'd have a hard time replacing them, or aren't willing to try. And I have to wonder about what rules you can enforce when you fail to discipline such blatant contravention of the stated break times. I'd also bet money that the non-smokers have their own ways of misusing company time - I know the non-smokers at my work place sure do and management that noticeably allows laxity in its staff cultivates those behaviours.

Nobody is saying that smokers are demons. They just take more breaks.

It won't matter as much once all of the smokers retire or move into other jobs since we have been screening for nicotine with hiring for 10 years. There's a lot fewer smokers than when I started 6+ years ago. The number will continue to dwindle.

 

[pigletgirl]

Come work at Cleveland Clinic!

What do they do?

 

[pigletgirl]

So, this is from Honor Health, a hospital system in Phoenix AZ.

"Tobacco-Free Hiring Policy
As part of its commitment to the health and well-being of our workforce and community, we will no longer hire or re-hire individuals who use tobacco.

On the online employment application form, all applicants will be asked if they use tobacco. All individuals who are offered a position are screened for tobacco use as part of the post-offer health assessment and screening. Individuals whose screening results are verified positive for tobacco use will have their job offers withdrawn. Individuals whose job offers are withdrawn for tobacco may reapply for employment after 180 days."

 

[mnrose]

Just an FYI for all you smokers out there. I hope you aren't planning on ever needing an assisted living or nursing home facility. My father (now 84) was a near life long smoker....heavy. Was still smoking heavily when he fell at age 80 and suddenly needed assisted living, then nursing home. There are ZERO such facilities in our area that accommodate smokers. That was it. He HAD to quit cold turkey after 55 years of smoking. It wasn't pretty.

 

[kamik86]

I support and am ok with higher premiums for smokers. Even for those overweight and I'm overweight. However in very few cases am I ok with limiting legal activities of employees outside of work. In those few cases I think the position needs to account for that.

By which I mean there are some people that I know that work on a government base that need to report any time they go to the doctor, any time they are on any kind of medication and what it is, etc. because of the highly sensitive items they are exposed to. They get drug tests, get put on Special assignment (meaning mostly paperwork) if they have to be on certain meds (which even includes things like certain cough syrups) etc. However the job pays more then a similar job in many other industries or even a similar job in one of the same companies other office buildings, because they have to deal with all of this.

 

[Happy Snowman]

I support and am ok with higher premiums for smokers. Even for those overweight and I'm overweight. However in very few cases am I ok with limiting legal activities of employees outside of work. In those few cases I think the position needs to account for that.

By which I mean there are some people that I know that work on a government base that need to report any time they go to the doctor, any time they are on any kind of medication and what it is, etc. because of the highly sensitive items they are exposed to. They get drug tests, get put on Special assignment (meaning mostly paperwork) if they have to be on certain meds (which even includes things like certain cough syrups) etc. However the job pays more then a similar job in many other industries or even a similar job in one of the same companies other office buildings, because they have to deal with all of this.

They are not limiting your activities because you simply won't work there. You are free to smoke all you want....but doing that working for someone else.

 

[luvsJack]

Just an FYI for all you smokers out there. I hope you aren't planning on ever needing an assisted living or nursing home facility. My father (now 84) was a near life long smoker....heavy. Was still smoking heavily when he fell at age 80 and suddenly needed assisted living, then nursing home. There are ZERO such facilities in our area that accommodate smokers. That was it. He HAD to quit cold turkey after 55 years of smoking. It wasn't pretty.

Could his dr not give him something to help the process?

 

[aprilchem]

I think it's more than economics.
If you smoke, now your addiction also has the capability to hurt everyone else around you and.
If you come into my sons classroom smelling of smoke, you set off his asthma. If you're a nurse and you come in smelling of smoke and you work with someone who has upper respiratory weaknesses or issues, it could be a problem.

Example of this - my employer (a college) allows employees to smoke 20 feet from the building. They keep inching closer and closer, so this morning I had to walk past one of our IT members smoking about 3 feet from the employee entrance, breathing in her second-hand smoke. She finishes up while I'm waiting for the elevator and then rides up in the elevator with me (something I always try to avoid if I see somebody smoking when I walk in) - the smell was terrible. I did my best to stand as far as I could from her, but my allergies are now acting up terribly. I'm going to have to go home and get meds on my break between classes. If I had asthma I'm sure it would be much worse.

 

[ronandannette]

Just an FYI for all you smokers out there. I hope you aren't planning on ever needing an assisted living or nursing home facility. My father (now 84) was a near life long smoker....heavy. Was still smoking heavily when he fell at age 80 and suddenly needed assisted living, then nursing home. There are ZERO such facilities in our area that accommodate smokers. That was it. He HAD to quit cold turkey after 55 years of smoking. It wasn't pretty.

My DMom went into a seniors' lodge (assisted living) at age 94. The facility did not allow smoking in the rooms or main common areas but did have both an indoor and outdoor smoking lounge for the residents ONLY - visitors and staff could not smoke there. My DBrother recently spent 3 weeks in hospice prior to passing away. It also had an outdoor smoking lounge for patients and family members (not sure if staff were allowed to smoke during breaks - I never noticed any but then again I was quite pre-occupied).

 

[luvsJack]

Example of this - my employer (a college) allows employees to smoke 20 feet from the building. They keep inching closer and closer, so this morning I had to walk past one of our IT members smoking about 3 feet from the employee entrance, breathing in her second-hand smoke. She finishes up while I'm waiting for the elevator and then rides up in the elevator with me (something I always try to avoid if I see somebody smoking when I walk in) - the smell was terrible. I did my best to stand as far as I could from her, but my allergies are now acting up terribly. I'm going to have to go home and get meds on my break between classes. If I had asthma I'm sure it would be much worse.

That's why our campus went tobacco free. Others took issue with it but it doesn't botther me. I still take the same two breaks a day, I just drive off campus and make a circle and come back.

We had the so many feet away rule and others kept breaking it so they fixed it. Can't really blame them.



If any of us were taking extra breaks, we would be reprimanded. If smokers take advantage and take extra breaks, well, its because they are allowed to.

 

[kamik86]

Example of this - my employer (a college) allows employees to smoke 20 feet from the building. They keep inching closer and closer, so this morning I had to walk past one of our IT members smoking about 3 feet from the employee entrance, breathing in her second-hand smoke. She finishes up while I'm waiting for the elevator and then rides up in the elevator with me (something I always try to avoid if I see somebody smoking when I walk in) - the smell was terrible. I did my best to stand as far as I could from her, but my allergies are now acting up terribly. I'm going to have to go home and get meds on my break between classes. If I had asthma I'm sure it would be much worse.

This is one thing my company did well. There are these little sheds outside around the buildings that are for smoking. They have a big ash tray in the middle, are covered, and have walls on three sides (and in some of them the open side faces the building with just a small walk way. So there isn't a lot of wind, they don't get rained on, etc. This way no one inches closer to the doors, because the smoking area is nicer then smoking just outside the door.

The only time I get annoyed is if your late for my meeting and reek of smoke. Then I know your not late because your last meeting ran over your late because you decided to go smoke.

 

[Happy Snowman]

That's why our campus went tobacco free. Others took issue with it but it doesn't botther me. I still take the same two breaks a day, I just drive off campus and make a circle and come back.

We had the so many feet away rule and others kept breaking it so they fixed it. Can't really blame them.



If any of us were taking extra breaks, we would be reprimanded. If smokers take advantage and take extra breaks, well, its because they are allowed to.

But someone still has to smell your smoke all day.....

I was waiting to pick up a rental car a couple weeks ago, a guy walks up to drop off his car. The smoke smell was so overpowering I let him go in front of me so I could just step back and not gag. Sorry, but even if you are smoking in your car, the smell is awful.

 

[aprilchem]

That's why our campus went tobacco free. Others took issue with it but it doesn't botther me. I still take the same two breaks a day, I just drive off campus and make a circle and come back.

We had the so many feet away rule and others kept breaking it so they fixed it. Can't really blame them.



If any of us were taking extra breaks, we would be reprimanded. If smokers take advantage and take extra breaks, well, its because they are allowed to.

They aren't reprimanded, as far as I know. I can see them from my office window and the entire IT department uses about 15 minutes of every hour outside to smoke. They work 8.5 hour days like the rest of the staff, so approximately 2.5 hours of that is smoking time.

 

[eliza61]

But someone still has to smell your smoke all day.....

I was waiting to pick up a rental car a couple weeks ago, a guy walks up to drop off his car. The smoke smell was so overpowering I let him go in front of me so I could just step back and not gag. Sorry, but even if you are smoking in your car, the smell is awful.

And it's more than just "smell", so many of the toxic chemicals from cigarettes hang/linger in fabric and Upholstery. so non smokers inhale this.

 

[luvsJack]

But someone still has to smell your smoke all day.....

I was waiting to pick up a rental car a couple weeks ago, a guy walks up to drop off his car. The smoke smell was so overpowering I let him go in front of me so I could just step back and not gag. Sorry, but even if you are smoking in your car, the smell is awful.

Some of that depends on the kind of cigarettes.

I don't like the smell of alcohol on someone that was drinking last night and didn't shower but I can't do much about it.

I smoke. I am going to smoke at lunch and on my breaks. I am not saying its the perfect solution but its how our college fixed the smoking at the door problem.