We're Smoke Free
- Mid May 2007
- Français
Thursday, May 31 marked a healthy change at all seven hospital sites of the Niagara Health System, as all properties became 100% smoke-free. The NHS is committed to being a leader in health promotion in the community. As part of our strategic goals we promote, support and model health and wellness within the NHS, and collaborate with others on strategies that promote healthy living. The current planning underway for the Niagara Regional Cancer Centre, slated to open in 2011-12, makes this an ideal time to become a true leader in healthcare by providing smoke-free hospitals, both inside and out, for our patients, visitors and staff. No ifs, ands or butts!
"The Board of Trustees unanimously embraced the philosophy of providing a smoke-free environment in 2006," says Debbie Sevenpifer, President and CEO. "The Board gave us time to plan for this major undertaking so that we could ensure that our staff and the approximately 20% of current patients who smoke receive the clinical support they need when we moved to being smoke free at all of our hospital sites in the NHS May 31."
The choice of May 31 coincides with the World Health Organization's World No Tobacco Day, marked annually since 1988. The WHO website reports that tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. It is currently responsible for the death of one in ten adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year). If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today - that is about 650 million people - will eventually be killed by tobacco.
Here in Niagara, this healthy change means no smoking or tobacco use is permitted on any properties at Douglas Memorial Hospital Site in Fort Erie, Greater Niagara General Site in Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital Site, Ontario Street Site and St. Catharines General Site in St. Catharines, Port Colborne General Site and Welland Hospital Site. This includes parked cars, parking lots, lawns/gardens or anywhere on NHS property.
Adapting to the new policy will be difficult for some patients and visitors. For that reason, the NHS has a Smoke Free Task Force, to ensure that the necessary supports are in place for patients requiring a hospital procedure. For many, support will come in the form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (the patch or gum). The patch is a prescription medication which can be ordered by the patient's physician before his/her booked procedure, to help ensure that nicotine dependency is being managed by the time hospital admission takes place. For others who require NRT during their hospital stay, physician order sets are in place to serve all clinical areas at all sites, so that NRT will be ordered by the attending physician.
In addition, three smoking cessation RNs are in place during the transition period, to provide clinical support to all units and to enhance training on smoking cessation techniques to clinical staff. "The Smoke Free Task Force was very focused on making sure we were prepared to provide the support our patients need," Debbie says. "We have been communicating with our stakeholder groups and health care partners to ensure they are aware of our plans. Our goal is to provide a healthier environment and a healthier population. This initiative is definitely a healthy step in the right direction."
For more information on the smoke-free initiative and community supports available, click here.