References

Bennasar Veny, Miguel, Pericas Beltrn, Jordi, Gonzlez Torrente, Susana, Segui Gonzlez, Priscila, Aguil Pons, Antoni, &
Tauler Riera, Pedro. (2011). Self-perceived factors associated with smoking cessation among primary health care
nurses: a qualitative study. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 19(6), 1437-1444. Retrieved October 18, 2013,
from Pub Med (10.1590/S0104-11692011000600022)
Elliott, V. S. (2011, April 5). Growing Number of Hospitals Ban Hiring Smokers. In Amednews.com. Retrieved October 21,
2013, from http://www.amednews.com/article/20110405/business/304059996/8/
Sterling, Y. (2007, February). Position Statement on Tobacco Use and Control in. In Society of Pediatric Nurses. Retrieved
October 20, 2013, from http://www.pedsnurses.org/pdfs/downloads/gid,71/index.pdf
Sulzberger, A. G. (2011, February 10). Hospitals Shift Smoking Bans to Smoker Ban. In The New York Times. Retrieved
October 21, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/us/11smoking.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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2013, from http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/21/nation/na-smoking21



NURSES WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE
PROFESSION ARE STILL SMOKING
CREATING CONTROVERSIES.
HEALTHCARE FACILITIES TAKE THE
MATTER INTO THEIR OWNS HANDS.
BUT IS THEIR POLICY FAIR?
Works Cited
On separate piece of paper
Shannon VandenBerg
English 321
Article review
Rough draft
November 17, 2013



SMOKING IN THE NURSING
PROFESSION
The health problems associated with
the use of tobacco are well
documented, yet healthcare
professionals including nurses continue
to smoke (Sterling, 2007). One of the
main roles of nursing is to educate on
prevention of unhealthy habits and
diseases. However, 16% of the nation's
2.3 million nurses are smoking as
frequently as the general public
(Torriero, 2007). What issues arise from
this? Healthcare facilities in many states
are adopting strict policies that make
smoking a reason to turn away job
applicants. Refusing and banning
nurses a job because they simply are
not promoting a healthy living for their
clients. Facilities want their health care
providers to model healthy behaviors.
A HEALTHYNURSE IS A
BETTER ROLE MODEL,
EDUCATOR, AND ADVOCATE
PERSONALLY, FOR THE FAMILY,
FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE
WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND FOR
THE PATIENT.
~ AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION










SMOKING
SHOULD NURSES?

Tobacco Free Nurses is an initiative
funded by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation and is the first national
program to help nurses stop smoking. Its
mission includes supporting and assisting
smoking cessation efforts of nurses and
nursing students, providing tobacco control
resources for use in patient care, and
enhancing the culture of nurses as leaders
and advocates. (Sterling, 2007)
Shannon VandenBerg
Denying jobs to nurse smokers
Nurses are being denied jobs within the
healthcare setting because they have personally
decided to smoke. Should this be a factor within
the hiring process? Some concerns relate to
discrimination against the worker and taking away
the freedom of the nurses personal life.

Nurses that smoke argue that their job is a very
stressful environment and they chose to cope with
the stress by smoking. Many understand that it
should not be done on the property of the
healthcare facility. However, what they chose to
do within their own home is their private life.
Some people who work to limit tobacco use
question whether refusing to hire smokers is the
best way to improve employee wellness and
reduce smoking in the community (Elliot, 2011).

How some healthcare facilities and professionals
are addressing this issue is by trying to help the
nurses to quite. We want to be very supportive of
smokers, and the best thing we can do is help
them quit, not condition employment on whether
they quit, said Ellen Vargyas, chief counsel for
the American Legacy Foundation. Smokers are
not the enemy (Sulzberger, 2011)

The National Workrights Institute voices their
concern with refusing nurses that smoke a job.
Lewis Maltby, president of the Workrights
Institute, states, There is nothing unique about
smoking. The number of things that we all do
privately that have negative impact on our health
is endless. If its not smoking, its beer. If its not
beer, its cheeseburgers (Sulzberger, 2011).

SMOKING
SHOULD NURSES?
Nurses are the influences
Nurses are to encourage and educate the
community on building a healthy life for
themselves. They want to promote health and
wellness among the population. Healthcare
facilities want nurses to apply this to their own
daily lives and become the role models to a
healthy standard of living.

According to the International Council of Nurses
(ICN), tobacco smoke contains over 4,000
chemicals including those with carcinogenic and
mutagenic properties and contributes to the
death of millions annually. Reduction in the
prevalence of tobacco use is a major public
health goal. However, a major barrier to the
successful implementation of smoking cessation
interventions is the significant number of nurses
who smoke. Smoking among nurses affects their
ability and credibility as tobacco prevention and
control advocates with patients, their nursing
peers, and the general community (Sterling,
2007).

Healthcare facilities feel that if they are hiring a
nurse they want them to support their main goal
which is providing a healthy community. Around
90% of the general population feels that handling
and helping people to give up smoking is the
responsibility of nurses (Bennasar, 2011) Nurses
can play an important role in the prevention of
smoking by promoting health education.
However, this cant be achieved if the nurses
themselves are promoting an unhealthy lifestyle.
Healthcare facilities want their patients to receive
loyal and effective education.



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