Smoke Free Environment

Purpose

To provide a healthy and safe environment for patients, visitors and employees by prohibiting the use of smoking materials or smokeless tobacco products on all Main Line Health campuses.

Tobacco products include, but are not limited to cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and pipe smoking. There are cigarette-like products that actually look and feel like cigarettes but put out steam or humidified air rather than smoke and may deliver nicotine to the user. Due to the conflicting and counter productive messages sent when people are viewed using such devices, their use is considered a violation of this policy. The restriction on smoking is intended to:

  • Reduce patient risks associated with smoking, including possible adverse effects on treatment.
  • Reduce the risks to other patients and staff associated with passive smoking.
  • Reduce health complications related to second hand smoke and smoking in general.
  • Reduce the risk of a fire hazard.

Scope

This policy applies to all persons on the campus of any Main Line Health facility or entering any MLH facility for any reason to include patients, visitors, medical staff, vendors, contractors, volunteers, employees and students. There are no exceptions to this Policy.

Responsibility

It is the responsibility of all employees and medical staff to comply with this Policy at all times and share in the responsibility of enforcement of this Policy.

Policy

  1. Main Line Health is a smoke-free health care organization as designated by the Chief Executive Officer, in consultation and cooperation with and supported by the Medical Staff and Board of Trustees.
  2. Patients will be informed of the "No Smoking" Policy when they are registered at the hospital and will be given information explaining the Policy.
  3. Educational materials and options for smoking cessation will be offered to patients.
  4. Nicotine patches are on the hospital formulary and will be made available to the patients upon Physician's Orders.
  5. To ensure a safe environment for all patients, visitors and employees, smoking materials may be removed from patients who are non-compliant or the patient may be discharged by Attending Physician Order. Visitors who are non-compliant will be asked to leave the hospital campus.
  6. Job advertisements will include reference to the "No Smoking" Policy. Applicants will be informed of the "No Smoking" Policy when completing applications for employment at Main Line Health via the Main Line Health website.
  7. Physician Orders to allow patient smoking will not be permitted.

Employee specifics

  1. Employees are not permitted to smoke on any Main Line Health campus or any of its buildings including but not limited to the Main Hospital, the Medical Science Building, Medical Office Buildings, or other owned or leased buildings located on the campus of a Main Line Health Facility.
  2. Smoking is not permitted in any parking lots while going to or from work areas. Employees are not permitted to smoke in their cars while their cars are on the premises of a Main Line Health Facility.
  3. Employees who are non compliant with this Policy are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment in accordance with applicable Human Resources Policy.
  4. Any hospital employee found smoking within the confines of any owned or leased building located on the campus of a Main Line Health Facility will be immediately terminated.
  5. Leaders and staff alike are responsible for ensuring compliance by fellow employees. Employees observing a co-worker violating the no-smoking policy are requested to courteously remind the employee of the no smoking policy and suggest smoking materials be extinguished. If violation of the policy continues, employees are expected to inform any member of the MLH leadership team and / or notify the Security Department.
  6. Smoking Cessation classes and education will be offered to employees at no charge during non-work time. Classes will also be made available to the Medical Staff, patients and the community. Class schedules and registration is available through the MLH Intranet.

Exceptions

Psychiatric patients—BMH & ADTC only

Due to the special needs of some psychiatric patients and the related problems associated with their illnesses, an exception to the Hospitals' Smoking Policy has been made for psychiatric patients as follows:

  1. The patient must meet the unit's established smoking criteria.
  2. A written order to permit patient to smoke is required from the patient's attending physician.
  3. Smoking is permitted only in areas designated by the department.
  4. Patient must be at least 18 years old.