Wednesday 16 April 2008

Smoking

Right from the start I am going to declare an interest, I smoked 20 a day since I was 15 but stopped 20 years ago.What is it about smoking that makes people illiterate? Our hospital, like every other one is completely none smoking and in fact does not allow smoking in the grounds. So, why is that people still smoke at the main entrance? They will smoke underneath a no smoking sign, they will even blow smoke onto the no smoking sign BUT they will not READ the no smoking sign. There is always any amount of patients and visitors who congregate there puffing away and forcing everyone to walk through their stink. Patients in pyjamas in the middle of winter, patients with drips, pumps and catheters all out chasing their fix as "they have a right" to smoke. I have even heard of patients in pain, being given morphine for the pain and then going out for a cigarette - this is a disaster waiting to happen but patients now talk about their "human rights" and the wards cannot stop them. What about my right to walk through a smoke free atmosphere? No, I'm just a grumpy old ex smoker who is interfering with their pleasures. The hospital has erected a shelter which is fenced off for those patients who have to have a fag, it is sign posted and out of the way, and more importantly it is not at the main entrance. But is it used? Not a chance! Now patients who smoke and are in for a while I can understand needing a smoke, but there is no reason on this earth for visitors to smoke - what do they do on air flights? If any member of staff dares to question these people and point out the no smoking signs, they are met with a torrent of abuse and occasionally violence - a doctor had his nose broken not that long ago because he had the temerity to say something. It can get worse, what about patients who take ill at the door? Who deals with that? The A&E department I work in has made it clear that any inpatient who collapses or faints at the front door has nothing to do with us. They are there against the hospitals advice therefore it is unfortunately their wards problem and the ward staff have to deal with it. We are not going to get into a situation I saw on television where an A&E was being filmed and the staff were called to the front door because a smoker from a ward had collapsed and a nurse and doctor had to leave what they were doing and rush to the aid of a smoker.Is there any solution, probably not, but at least we have managed to stop people smoking inside buildings. Although there is still the odd idiot who will light up in a toilet - and then deny it when challenged. We need to make smoking socially unacceptable the way drink driving is now. We need to try to educate people about the dangers, but they don't listen to TV adverts or education they receive. Despite the price of cigarettes and despite the fact that you cannot buy cigarettes in Scotland until you are 18, as I type this, I can see school children walking up the road smoking.
Moan over.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The story of a Tobacco Nazi doctor getting his nose broken for trying to mind somebody else's business was most gratifying. Keep up the good work, whoever you are!

GrumpyRN said...

My whole point was about the inability of smokers to read and act upon a simple notice and in fairness did turn into a bit of a rant against smoking in hospitals. However, I do not think that comparing a doctor to a nazi is fair, surely the smokers who ignore signs and puff away in your face are the nazis because they are the ones who are tramping over everyone else life to get their own way.

Anonymous said...

grumpyrn:

I didn't compare a doctor to a nazi.The doctor IS a nazi. The definition of that term in modern vernacular is a creep who can't mind his own business.

Hospitals are currently banning smoking in their parking lots where it doesn't affect anyone else if it were mustard gas. These arrogant clowns feel a need to force others to quit smoking--an especially barbaric act for someone trapped in a hospital.

To accuse a smoker of "tramping over everyone else's life to get their own way" is typical of the nazi mindset. You're talking about an utterly harmless wisp of smoke, by God.

GrumpyRN said...

"You're talking about an utterly harmless wisp of smoke, by God".
I refer you to the following research;

Schick S. Glantz S.
Philip Morris toxicological experiments with fresh sidestream smoke: more toxic than mainstream smoke. [Review] [92 refs] [Journal Article. Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't. Review] Tobacco Control. 14(6):396-404, 2005 Dec.

Anonymous said...

grumpyrn:

I won't dignify your belief in a professional Bee Esser like Stanton Glantz with a response except to say the notion that SHS is more "toxic" than mainstrean smoke would insult the intelligence of a sea slug. Neither is the least bit toxic and SHS is so dilute it's difficult to measure.

But keep it up. The credibility of the Medical Establishment is just about ruined and Medicine Men need to be taken downa peg. Google FORCES INTERNATIONAL if you want to get smarter about tobacco.

Question : Did the doctor learn anything from his broken snoot?

GAB said...

Ok Ive never smoked, but let me ask you a question? Why is it the doctors and nurses preach to everyone not to smoke & how bad it is for you,then later you will see them out the back door smoking? They need to take their own advice otherwise no one will believe them.

GrumpyRN said...

Absolutely agree Gab, very hypocritical and not very professional either. My original point was about smoking right beside no smoking signs, and despite the hospital having made a place to smoke this was ignored. In our hospital there is no smoking allowed in the grounds even in your own car if it is in the hospital car park - which anonymous has already mentioned. I tend to think that this is excessive and a place for staff should be available as well. If staff are caught smoking within the hospital grounds it becomes a disciplinary offence and it could in extreme cases lead to dismissal.

Anonymous said...

grumpyrn:

Give me a break. You say smoking is prohibited on your hospital grounds and results in dismissal, then in the next breath say there as a place provided for smokers. Which is it?

If I were so unfortunate as to be hospitalized I would take one of two possible paths to deal with this tyranny, One is defiance while daring anyone to act on their delusion. Two is to take my carcass to a more tolerant hospital. That'd teach them.

Nazis are getting bolder by the minute. To ban smoking in a parking lot is forcing me to quit smoking when I need it worst. The arrogance of these bast--- is liable to get them hurt.

GrumpyRN said...

The smoking shelter is for inpatients only, staff are barred from smoking on the hospital grounds which as I said I think is excessive.
Remember - UK, different set up, there isn't another hospital, you do not get a choice about where you are treated.
In the UK it is against the law to smoke in a public building which a hospital is, the police can be called and the person charged and fined as it is a crime, this has been accepted by everyone. It is not a crime to smoke outside the door or in the grounds but the hospital has made it a disciplinary offence for staff.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the explanation. The hospital Nazis ban smoking for employees because they can. To say this tyranny has been accepted by everyone is typical of the Nazi mindset--your "everyone" does not include smokers.

I'll give you some advice to ignore. Find another way to have fun besides harassing smokers. We're getting fed up.

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