Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco ProductsPosted: Sep 21, 2011 5:35 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 28, 2011 9:24 AM CDT

Administrators at a hospital in Searcy say you can't light up and work for them. Effective October 1, the White County Medical Center will not hire people who smoke or use tobacco products. Current employees will be grandfathered in under the new policy.

This change is in an effort for all employees to adopt a more healthy lifestyle. Not only is tobacco products not allowed, but cafeteria menu items are also changing.

Brenda Engle, the Director of Health Works at WCMC says by doing this, they are hoping to address the two biggest issues, smoking, and obesity. "As a health care facility we believe this is the right thing for us to do for our employees"

She along with other administrators have been working to make the atmosphere around the hospital a healthier one. About 200 employees use tobacco.

"For me I'm allergic to smoke, and it bothers me when I'm near someone who smokes. I can't be around them. so it's going to be positive change for me. I know for some it will be negative but we're trying to embrace it and it's all for a healthy change for our hospital", says Cassandra Feltrop, Executive Director of the hospital Foundation.

The hospital already conducts random drug testing on their associates. After October 1, a nicotine screening will be added. So if a new hire uses tobacco in the privacy of their own home or is using a patch or gum to kick the habit and tests positively, Feltrop says they will lose their job. "They will be terminated. After that date, the policy states they will be terminated from the hospital. We will no longer hire smoking associates."

The cafeteria is being revamped too. Fresh, new, healthier food choices will be offered including a fruit bar. All in an effort to help their employees live a more healthier lifestyle.

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

smoking, drinking, and unhealthy eating habits are among the things that should be made socially unacceptable

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

I believe the Baylor Healthcare system (a large, reputable hospital/physician chain) here in the Dallas area adopted the same policy recently.

Being a health care worker myself, I support policies like this...

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

...which is why cities like Allen, Plano, and others here in the Dallas area have adopted no-smoking policies in restaurants and other entertainment venues. It's nice for a change...

Coming from a smoking environment growing up, it was something I never desired to do. But, I also don't look down upon one who does. So, we have to exercise caution when displaying our distaste for that kind of environment...

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

Wow... these types of threads are always amazing to me.

I don't smoke.
I don't support smoking.
I think that the hospital has every right to deem their place of business as non smoking. Even the parking lot. It doesn't have to actually... it's illegal to smoke in hospitals in Arkansas. And they have every right to tell smokers that you get 15 minutes break every 2 hours... just like everybody else. No special breaks because you're a smoker.

But... come on...

Y'all are for people being fired because they smoke when they get home?
Y'all are for people being fired because they used a patch or gum to try and quit?

Will you be for it when they test for alcohol residual in blood? Probably so.

How about when they test for trans fats and fire you because you ate McDonalds on the way home yesterday?

How about when they run a test and fire you because you ate bacon for breakfast. This type of thing is precedent setting and it will come home to roost one day. They start the precedents with the "Yeah... I'm glad to see them get theirs" groups and then move your way.

It is said that the only way to ensure your freedoms is to fight for the freedoms of those you abhor the most. America has really lost any realization of what personal privacy is all about. And that, my friends, is what America is ALL about. So we've lost our sense of everything we've ever been about.

These things amaze me beyond belief.

Private corporations get the freedom to make those policies without the government preventing it. There's an aspect of that I can appreciate.

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

One thing to consider is that there are smoking cessation programs available. I would lean more toward allowing one to complete such a program before termination. However, this is something the article doesn't mention and makes me wonder if it is indeed in place for all smoking employees. I would hope so...

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

The present employees are grandfathered in.

This affects new hires mostly.

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

I agree that this is different than government intervention.

But should a private business be able to stipulate what you do in the privacy of your own home when your activities are not illegal and happen on your own time?

It is a tricky area. I don't like seeing this happen but, at the same time, I wouldn't like to see it cured by any sort of government intervention into private business either.

Someone needs to file suit against this company IMO. Money talks.

Re: Hospital Will Not Hire Those Who Use Tobacco
 

you are on the slippery lope brother.

the only intity that can "allow" or "disallow" is the government.

Eitehr a private company can do this or we ceed power to the government to decide.