Caught a patient smoking

[cassandraschild]

So I'm Nurse's Assistant at a major hospital, and I work on the Psychiatry floor, working overnights. I used to work Acute Pulmonary a while back but decided I wanted to give psych a try.

Obviously, smoking is not allowed inside my hospital. They used to allow the psych patients to smoke is a specific room, but got rid of that about 3 years ago. I don't agree with that policy, but that's a much deeper conversation. I've been off analogs for only a month and a half now, but I have noticed that my sense of smell is getting sharper, but at times also going a little haywire.

I walk into a new patient's room and am BLASTED by the smell of smoke. I freak out for half a second while looking around the room looking for the fire, when it dawns on me that it's cigarette smoke. OMG it smelled horrible!

Man... if that's what my old car smelled like for all those years to my non-smoking friends... I owe them all a huge apology...

Getting the cigarettes away from the patient was an "adventure". And the whole time I had my ego-C hidden beneath my scrubs on the lanyard I have. I wanted to tell the patient, Dude... just have a few quick puffs off my e-cig... but obviously I can't sadly, or I would likely lose my job.

Just one of those really odd ex-smoker moments...

 

[Caridwen]

It's really a nightmare for a smoker to be in a hospital.

I personally never found them effective, but do they offer patches? Some hospitals do.

 

[EddardinWinter]

So I'm Nurse's Assistant at a major hospital, and I work on the Psychiatry floor, working overnights. I used to work Acute Pulmonary a while back but decided I wanted to give psych a try.

Obviously, smoking is not allowed inside my hospital. They used to allow the psych patients to smoke is a specific room, but got rid of that about 3 years ago. I don't agree with that policy, but that's a much deeper conversation. I've been off analogs for only a month and a half now, but I have noticed that my sense of smell is getting sharper, but at times also going a little haywire.

I walk into a new patient's room and am BLASTED by the smell of smoke. I freak out for half a second while looking around the room looking for the fire, when it dawns on me that it's cigarette smoke. OMG it smelled horrible!

Man... if that's what my old car smelled like for all those years to my non-smoking friends... I owe them all a huge apology...

Getting the cigarettes away from the patient was an "adventure". And the whole time I had my ego-C hidden beneath my scrubs on the lanyard I have. I wanted to tell the patient, Dude... just have a few quick puffs off my e-cig... but obviously I can't sadly, or I would likely lose my job.

Just one of those really odd ex-smoker moments...

He should have done this in the bathroom, to allow the exhaust to remove the smoke and keep the remaining smoke isolated in the bathroom space. He probably could have gotten away with it. It does seem cruel to keep people who are imbalanced without some means of smoking. Do they get NRTs?

 

[WillyZee]

just a thought ... bring him an NJOY bold tomorrow ... it's almost Christmas

 

[Susaz]

So I'm Nurse's Assistant at a major hospital, and I work on the Psychiatry floor, working overnights. I used to work Acute Pulmonary a while back but decided I wanted to give psych a try.

Obviously, smoking is not allowed inside my hospital. They used to allow the psych patients to smoke is a specific room, but got rid of that about 3 years ago. I don't agree with that policy, but that's a much deeper conversation. I've been off analogs for only a month and a half now, but I have noticed that my sense of smell is getting sharper, but at times also going a little haywire.

I walk into a new patient's room and am BLASTED by the smell of smoke. I freak out for half a second while looking around the room looking for the fire, when it dawns on me that it's cigarette smoke. OMG it smelled horrible!

Man... if that's what my old car smelled like for all those years to my non-smoking friends... I owe them all a huge apology...

Getting the cigarettes away from the patient was an "adventure". And the whole time I had my ego-C hidden beneath my scrubs on the lanyard I have. I wanted to tell the patient, Dude... just have a few quick puffs off my e-cig... but obviously I can't sadly, or I would likely lose my job.

Just one of those really odd ex-smoker moments...

I still smoke, sometimes a full pack, sometimes a 10. I'm under a lot of stress after my dad's illness and death. I'd love a little sympathy, I'm sure sooner or later I'll find the way around to just vape and not vape as a fill in.

 

[DetraMental]

I did a rotation through psychiatric nursing back when smoking was allowed and I know why it was allowed. That does seem pretty rough not having a place for them to go with everything they have going on, I know Hospital rules Perhaps they should consider vaping it may even change their lives. Just a thought, or a dream.....

 

[cassandraschild]

We do have NRT's, but I've been hospitalized with only NRT's and it SUCKED! I often feel soooo bad for our smoker patients. One of the many reasons I quit was because some of those smoker patients could smell the smoke on me when I'd first come in or after my lunch break smoke, and the look on their faces... I could see it was torture.

I would totally get him an NJOY, but if I were caught (aka he ratted me out) I'd be fired on the spot. I've considered petitioning the hospital in the past to get disposables for the patients, but considering the political climate regarding e-cigs, and that hospitals REALLY look down on nicotine users who work for them, I decided it might not be the wisest idea.

 

[cassandraschild]

Susaz, you totally have my sympathy! The death of a parent is rough. I know after my mother died I went from 1 PAD to 2 PAD without even thinking about it handling all the stuff and after effects.

But when the smoke clears (literally) you can give it a go again at full on vaping. But for now, do what you have to do to keep the stress levels in check!

 

[cassandraschild]

Detramental: If our hospital would let them vape... I know that would help so many of them. I know it would have helped me a lot when I was previously hospitalized. But knowing how things work in my hospital... it's likely a pipedream.

EDIT: I have heard from a patient of ours that was layed up on one of the cardiac floors that the nurses there let him use an e-cig while he was with them... but completely on the down low. He told me that and I wanted to go thank all those nurses.

I'm trying to remember the statistic off the top of my head, but I can't. Something like 90% of all schizophrenics smoke or have been smokers in their lives. I feel the worst for our schizophrenic patients.

 

[EddardinWinter]

I still smoke, sometimes a full pack, sometimes a 10. I'm under a lot of stress after my dad's illness and death. I'd love a little sympathy, I'm sure sooner or later I'll find the way around to just vape and not vape as a fill in.

You have it. I know lots of vapers who also smoke. Do what you gotta do. Quit when you are ready to. Doing both is still Tobacco Harm Reduction.

EDIT: Sorry for your loss.

 

[Vicshalls]

you could not get him one and kinda sneek it in. you know like a secret santa thing. not let him know you left it for him. I could not imagine having to be in the hospital. My wife had surgery last year and they gave her the patch and she hated it. She was told when she went in that if she left to go smoke that she would be deemed non compliant and not be allowed to return. I was blow away. What happened to the days that you could at least walk outside to a smoking area?

 

[AegisPrime]

I would totally get him an NJOY, but if I were caught (aka he ratted me out) I'd be fired on the spot. I've considered petitioning the hospital in the past to get disposables for the patients, but considering the political climate regarding e-cigs, and that hospitals REALLY look down on nicotine users who work for them, I decided it might not be the wisest idea.

It's awful isn't it? A more permissive attitude towards vaping (in general) could enhance peoples lives so much - anything to make someone's stay in a hospital less traumatic to them could only be a good thing - hopefully someday we'll get there but it's a long way away yet

 

[Grad]

I've worked in several different psych facilities, and I always felt horrible when the patients couldn't go out to smoke. I'd say 95%+ of the clients with severe mental illness that I've worked with were smokers, and I totally get it. Smoking is a coping method in the first place, and quitting cold turkey or even with an NRT makes everything seem 9000 times worse. If your mental health issues have reached a point where you require hospitalization, now is not the time to quit smoking. It's a shame that those who make the decisions don't really see it like that.

I still smoke, sometimes a full pack, sometimes a 10. I'm under a lot of stress after my dad's illness and death. I'd love a little sympathy, I'm sure sooner or later I'll find the way around to just vape and not vape as a fill in.

You have my sympathy. I went back to analogs for a while when I found out one of my parents was terminally ill. If you're smoking a few less a day because you're vaping, that's great. You'll do more when you're ready and able.

you could not get him one and kinda sneek it in. you know like a secret santa thing. not let him know you left it for him. I could not imagine having to be in the hospital. My wife had surgery last year and they gave her the patch and she hated it. She was told when she went in that if she left to go smoke that she would be deemed non compliant and not be allowed to return. I was blow away. What happened to the days that you could at least walk outside to a smoking area?

Wow...just wow. I had a relative in a hospital that specialized in cardiac intensive care 3-4 years ago, and I was often surrounded by patients when I went out to the smoking area. They may have just had a heart attack, quadruple bypass, and a pacemaker, but they were going to smoke that cigarette. Not that I had any room to judge them with my genetic predisposition to heart disease and a PAD habit. Just makes you really aware of how hardcore this addiction can be.

 

[generic mutant]

I've got a schizophrenic friend who's currently been put on Champix. Not sure how that one's going to work out... I've read that quite a few psychiatrists here simply don't see it as an issue: some people have bigger problems, and if smoking helps, it helps. 90% (or whatever the figure is) is not a coincidence.

And yes, I used to work with addicts / ex addicts, and many of them gave up some really nasty habits, but just couldn't kick the cigs. That was one of the things that first got me nervous enough to start seriously researching quitting.

(incidentally, the NHS used to send along stop smoking advisers to our office to meet our clients. It was very sweet. You had these dual diagnosis hardened street drinker miscreant types, being given sackloads of all different types of NRTs. They normally went and sold them, I think... )

 

[patkin]

This so shows that its about prejudice and not health. We are dealing with all the same things surrounding smoking/vaping that others have dealt with surrounding various historical prejudices including economic impacts if we speak up when we see it. Its a very sad fact that people don't change. Certain types will always have a need to place others morally beneath them. Unfortunately, their need is so obsessive that they're driven to attain positions of power in order to control others.... yeh, the definiton of a "control freak" who has no life other than the one they commandeer from you.

 

[CommaHolly]

what a rotten lost opportunity for the hospital to educate that patient on e-cigs and getting OFF regular cigarettes,,,

can you imagine?

"Mr Jones,,,,,,,,we see that you smoke,,,,,,,,,the law doesn't allow you to smoke inside the hospital, but here's an e-cigarette to tide you over during your stay,,,,,you may find you enjoy it more! Although there's not enough science to prove it's absolutely SAFE at this point,,,,,,there's more than enough to indicate it's far far better than smoking!"

 

[EleanorR]

It's really a nightmare for a smoker to be in a hospital.

Especially for psych patients.

I still smoke, sometimes a full pack, sometimes a 10. I'm under a lot of stress after my dad's illness and death. I'd love a little sympathy, I'm sure sooner or later I'll find the way around to just vape and not vape as a fill in.

((((Susaz)))). What Eddard said.

I'm trying to remember the statistic off the top of my head, but I can't. Something like 90% of all schizophrenics smoke or have been smokers in their lives. I feel the worst for our schizophrenic patients.

Yep. Nicotine is VERY MUCH self-medication for schizophrenics, AND IT HELPS THEM!

I've worked in several different psych facilities, and I always felt horrible when the patients couldn't go out to smoke. I'd say 95%+ of the clients with severe mental illness that I've worked with were smokers, and I totally get it. Smoking is a coping method in the first place, and quitting cold turkey or even with an NRT makes everything seem 9000 times worse. If your mental health issues have reached a point where you require hospitalization, now is not the time to quit smoking. It's a shame that those who make the decisions don't really see it like that.

This so shows that its about prejudice and not health. We are dealing with all the same things surrounding smoking/vaping that others have dealt with surrounding various historical prejudices including economic impacts if we speak up when we see it. Its a very sad fact that people don't change. Certain types will always have a need to place others morally beneath them. Unfortunately, their need is so obsessive that they're driven to attain positions of power in order to control others.... yeh, the definiton of a "control freak" who has no life other than the one they commandeer from you.

Seventh Circle of Hell for them . . .

 

[EddardinWinter]

I've got a schizophrenic friend who's currently been put on Champix. Not sure how that one's going to work out... I've read that quite a few psychiatrists here simply don't see it as an issue: some people have bigger problems, and if smoking helps, it helps. 90% (or whatever the figure is) is not a coincidence.

And yes, I used to work with addicts / ex addicts, and many of them gave up some really nasty habits, but just couldn't kick the cigs. That was one of the things that first got me nervous enough to start seriously researching quitting.

(incidentally, the NHS used to send along stop smoking advisers to our office to meet our clients. It was very sweet. You had these dual diagnosis hardened street drinker miscreant types, being given sackloads of all different types of NRTs. They normally went and sold them, I think... )

I love when GM talks about his schizophrenic "friend". Don't you?

Hi there, GM.

 

[EleanorR]

I love when GM talks about his schizophrenic "friend". Don't you?

Hi there, GM.

(Forgive me. Not really funny. But it still is, kinda. )

 

[generic mutant]

I love when GM talks about his schizophrenic "friend". Don't you?

Hi there, GM.

He's definitely real - I'd be dead by now if I smoked all of my cigarettes that he smoked for me

Hello Edd, Happy Christmas