Hospital Safety for Women With Nicotine Addiction

Hospital smoke-free policies are expanding to include all hospital-owned land and property. Because some women will choose to leave the hospital to satisfy nicotine cravings, smoke-free policies should account for this. Components of a policy can include a carefully designed smoking waiver form, nicotine substitution, smoking cessation education, behavioral counseling and supervised transport of women who choose to leave the hospital to smoke. Education of women and their families, awareness by all staff, and clearly defined guidelines can lead to improved safety.