Hospital To Ban Smoke Odor On Worker’s Clothes

A hospital in Alexandria has a brand new policy, expanding on an existing one, that is going to make it very hard for hospital workers and staff to have a smoke on their breaks.  The hospital plans to ban the odor of smoke on workers' clothes.

According to the Alexandria Town Talk Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria will be starting a new program aimed at a further anti-tobacco policy.  This new policy is for its whole hospital campus and will start July 1 of 2012.  This is another aspect to an already pretty tight anti-tobacco/smoking policy on the campus, and many hospitals across the state are going this way.  Two years ago, Christus put in place a policy two years ago for employees of the women's and children's areas.

The policy will prohibit the use of tobacco products by employees while on their shifts, including when they are on breaks. It also will not allow employees to work if their clothing smells like smoke.

This is the way that hospitals should go and be in my opinion because they are private hospitals, yes they accept government money, but they are in the "health care" business.  I get it, I really do, but here is what I worry about: what happens when they want to take my cheeseburger away from me because I am going into the hospital to visit my friend and they realize I am obese??

I also take issue with them saying you can't come back to work if you smell like smoke.  Really?  That means when  you go out to your car ( an extension of your home in the state of Louisiana i.e. the "shoot the carjacker law") are they going to come running after you and tell you that you can't smoke in your car? If the law says my car is an extension of my home and it's lawful for me to have my own gun in my car, then are they going to try to get me to stub out my cigarette or my cigar??? Heck no, hands off whatever I do in my car; it's an extension of my home.

I really get the health care part, but my car is my business ( the law says it ) so stay out of my auto.  By the way, I quit smoking, as it is no longer good for my health. ( Yeah, I know it never was ). But, if you want to smoke cause you got 'em, then by all means light up!  This is still America.