Ethical Dilemma

[jr doctor in sd]

Hey everyone!

Got an ethical question that has been bothering me for a little while now. We have a new nurse at the cancer center that I currently volunteer at. She is nice and all, though I have seen her roll her eyes and show some attitude when others have requested favors or work from her (i.e. grabbing a chart from the files or starting up a patient while she is free).

My problem is that she is a smoker (frequently from what I can tell). I mean...I volunteer once a week - she has worked maybe 80% of the time that I am volunteering. I have probably seen her a total of 10 times. Two out of these ten times, I have been working as usual and she comes in from outside and walks by me and I can't help but cough from the secondhand smoke. I have friends who are strongly aggressive towards people who "tell them about how bad smoking is" and I am all for people not preaching to me since I personally dont like that either but I mean come on...these people have CANCER (many of which got it from smoking) and I can't help but think this is so wrong that she comes in from outside and starts working on a patient with her stinking of a strong smoke smell. We have multiple patients needing oxygen and I just don't think its fair that her bad habit needs to affect the patients.

The problem is that there is a clear hierarchy in place. Head nurse/faculty --> nurses --> little old me (volunteer). And the nurses seem very close and get along very well, so I don't want to have that whole group think I am annoying/opinionated for saying something to her.


What would you all do?

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[calnation]

Unless you can get a patient to complain I don't think there's much you can do

 

[WinterLights]

Hey everyone!

Got an ethical question that has been bothering me for a little while now. We have a new nurse at the cancer center that I currently volunteer at. She is nice and all, though I have seen her roll her eyes and show some attitude when others have requested favors or work from her (i.e. grabbing a chart from the files or starting up a patient while she is free).

My problem is that she is a smoker (frequently from what I can tell). I mean...I volunteer once a week - she has worked maybe 80% of the time that I am volunteering. I have probably seen her a total of 10 times. Two out of these ten times, I have been working as usual and she comes in from outside and walks by me and I can't help but cough from the secondhand smoke. I have friends who are strongly aggressive towards people who "tell them about how bad smoking is" and I am all for people not preaching to me since I personally dont like that either but I mean come on...these people have CANCER (many of which got it from smoking) and I can't help but think this is so wrong that she comes in from outside and starts working on a patient with her stinking of a strong smoke smell. We have multiple patients needing oxygen and I just don't think its fair that her bad habit needs to affect the patients.

The problem is that there is a clear hierarchy in place. Head nurse/faculty --> nurses --> little old me (volunteer). And the nurses seem very close and get along very well, so I don't want to have that whole group think I am annoying/opinionated for saying something to her.


What would you all do?

Its not your place to say anything. If the patient has an issue with the smell of smoke, they can take it up with the doctor. You are a volunteer for god's sake, keep your mouth shut and do as you're told or move on to the next volunteering position.

 

[Bacchus]

I wouldn't worry about it. Also, the smoke isn't attracted to her. It dissipates before she enters the building. She's not harming anyone except herself. You'll see this everywhere. I have a professor that works in hospice and he smokes. Doctors smoke (even oncologists). Nurses smoke. EMTs smoke. Firefighters smoke. The list goes on. If its not affecting her job then it is her perogative although it does seem backwards, doesn't it?

 

[qmcat]

What would you all do?

Write about it in Duke's Secondary.

 

[scg]

You should give her the "smoking is bad for you" lecture.

 

[chilon09]

..........

 

[Bacchus]

Write about it in Duke's Secondary.

I was duped. Glad I didn't put too much thought into my response.

 

[musicalmedicine]

Don't step on any toes while you're there. It is always best to not act unless you have power and you have none since you're a volunteer, plus you don't know who will be writing your letter of recommendation; it could be her.

 

[jr doctor in sd]

What is the duke's secondary about?

And for the LOR thing...don't I get that from the charge nurse? Or is it from any nurse I work with? The reason I ask is because our charge nurse LOVED me and just transferred and we got a totally new one that I just met . I will do my best to build a relationship with this one as well but could I get it from a different nurse (some know me very well and are very nice!)

And I agree that it's not my place to say anything but it's not that nurse's place to go blowing her smoke (even if it's just the aftermath of her ciggs) around the patients in my opinion but the consensus is volunteer = no power = keep it shut. I will do that haha

I wouldn't worry about it. Also, the smoke isn't attracted to her. It dissipates before she enters the building. She's not harming anyone except herself. You'll see this everywhere. I have a professor that works in hospice and he smokes. Doctors smoke (even oncologists). Nurses smoke. EMTs smoke. Firefighters smoke. The list goes on. If its not affecting her job then it is her perogative although it does seem backwards, doesn't it?

 

[Virgil]

You're kidding, right?

 

[hants]

i live in belmont, california. the first city to ban smoking. first off, i think its a dumb idea (smoking ban). if you want to kill yourself by smoking cigs, go ahead and do it, thats more fresh air for me to breathe once you are dead. in regards to the nurse smoking, yea thats probably not the best thing to do, but it is her choice to smoke and she has the right to smoke. now if a patient did complain, then i think something could be done. i still find it hard to believe though that people in the healthcare profession still smoke, seems as though their medical training didn't have any effect on their own lives...sad

 

[Lukkie]

these people have CANCER (many of which got it from smoking)

how do you know this.

 

[cpants]

Fist of all, the smell of cigarettes on someone shouldn't make you cough. You're being oversensitive.

If you smell it, her bosses, the doctors, the patients, everyone smells it. Your job is to mind your own business. Let one of those other people complain.

 

[footballrules]

Hey everyone!

Got an ethical question that has been bothering me for a little while now. We have a new nurse at the cancer center that I currently volunteer at. She is nice and all, though I have seen her roll her eyes and show some attitude when others have requested favors or work from her (i.e. grabbing a chart from the files or starting up a patient while she is free).

My problem is that she is a smoker (frequently from what I can tell). I mean...I volunteer once a week - she has worked maybe 80% of the time that I am volunteering. I have probably seen her a total of 10 times. Two out of these ten times, I have been working as usual and she comes in from outside and walks by me and I can't help but cough from the secondhand smoke. I have friends who are strongly aggressive towards people who "tell them about how bad smoking is" and I am all for people not preaching to me since I personally dont like that either but I mean come on...these people have CANCER (many of which got it from smoking) and I can't help but think this is so wrong that she comes in from outside and starts working on a patient with her stinking of a strong smoke smell. We have multiple patients needing oxygen and I just don't think its fair that her bad habit needs to affect the patients.

The problem is that there is a clear hierarchy in place. Head nurse/faculty --> nurses --> little old me (volunteer). And the nurses seem very close and get along very well, so I don't want to have that whole group think I am annoying/opinionated for saying something to her.


What would you all do?

First, your problem is that you have a problem with her being a smoker. Second, why are you letting what your friends think have an impact on how you view a person? Third, how could you know and why would you know? If the person flat out says, "yeah, I have cancer," then that is their problem and not yours.

I feel a feeling that you need to really grow up. You can't go walking around thinking you are better then everyone else, thinking your way of living is the best way and the right way to live, and you don't understand your place. You are a VOLUNTEER. You have no power, no say, and you shouldn't say anything. If you think you are better then the people you work with, then leave and go volunteer at some other place (chances are you will find soemthing you don't like about a person at another place you would volunteer at). Next thing we will find your ethical situation dealing with an obese doctor.

 

[135892]

Unless a patient complains, what's the problem with her (or anyone) smoking?