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Tobacco Free Campus

About RCHD image of doctor on phone

PHILOSOPHY:

Reeves County Hospital District (RCHD) recognizes the health hazards caused by tobacco products.  As a healthcare campus, RCHD is committed to the establishment and enforcement of a healthier, tobacco-free environment.  The purpose of this RCHD operating policy and procedure is to establish a policy prohibiting tobacco use in or on all RCHD campuses and is applicable to anyone, including but not limited to employees, physicians, patients, vendors, contractors, visitors and volunteers at Reeves County Hospital District.

 

POLICY STATEMENT:

Reeves County Hospital District prohibits smoking or tobacco product use while on any Reeves County Hospital District Campus.

CAMPUS DEFINITION:

Campus means all properties leased or owned in any location by Reeves County Hospital District. This includes the interior of all buildings, together with adjacent parking lots, parked cars, garages and sidewalks.  Reeves County Hospital District’s perimeter coverage will encompass the area between Arizona and Wyoming and between Stafford Blvd and Schmidt Drive.

 

 

TOBACCO USE DEFINITION:

Tobacco use is defined as the burning of any type of tobacco product, as well as the use of oral tobacco products, electronic cigarettes or any other product that derived from tobacco covered under the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (FD & C Act).

 

PROCEDURE:

Signage shall be posted at the boundaries of all campuses and entrances of any Reeves County Hospital District owned or leased property.  Appropriate signage will be posted in the facilities and RCHD vehicles.  This policy will be incorporated into Staff Orientation and Handbook material that will be available on the staff intranet.  Any Reeves County Hospital District employee is encouraged to inform any visitor or patient that they are on a tobacco-free campus.  A tobacco-free environment information card will be provided to anyone found to be using tobacco products of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, electronic cigarettes and oral tobacco products on any Reeves County Hospital District campus.

 

ENFORCEMENT:

Enforcement of this policy is the responsibility of department heads, supervisors and security.

  1. Any employee found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action as set forth in the Reeves County Hospital District employee handbook.

 

  1. Supervisors will discuss the issue of work breaks and tobacco use with their staff.

 

    1. All hourly must clock out when leaving Reeves County Hospital District campus for personal business.
    2. The employee must obtain approval from the supervisor before leaving Reeves County Hospital District campus. (Employee Handbook Hours of Work and Break periods)
    3. This includes properties not owned by Reeves County Hospital District but within Reeves County Hospital District boundaries.

 

  1. Tobacco use in personal vehicles is prohibited while parked on Campus.

 

  1. Visitors observed violating this policy will be approached in a non-offensive manner and informed that Reeves County Hospital District is a Tobacco Free campus. The visitor will also be given a courtesy card and map identifying the Tobacco Free Campus area. Visitors who continue to ignore all requests to cease tobacco use may be escorted from the Campus by security personnel.

 

  1. Patients observed violating this policy will be approached in a non-offensive manner and informed that Reeves County Hospital District is a Tobacco Free Campus. The patient will also be given a courtesy card and map identifying the Tobacco Free Campus area. In the event a patient continues to violate this policy, the charge nurse may contact the patient’s attending physician.

 

  1. All inpatients will be requested to sign “patient using tobacco release and hold harmless agreement.” (Attachment B)

 

TOBACCO INTERVENTION PROGRAM:

 

  1. A smoking cessation program (Quitline) will be available to employees, eligible dependents, patients and medical Staff through American Cancer Society and Department of State Health Services.
    1. The CDC Quitline is 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
    2. The CDC Spanish Quitline is – 1-855-335-3569
    3. The Texas Quitline is 1-877-937-7848
    4. Texas website Quitline of yesquit.org

All sites offer coaching to assist with smoking cessation.

 

  1. Patients admitted to Reeves County Hospital District who wish to quit tobacco use or obtain NRT will be referred to their primary nurse. The patient’s nurse and physician will work together to assist the patient, as needed, and the patient will receive educational information about the cessation of tobacco use.

 

  1. Medical staff and employees will be educated on the tobacco-free environment, and assisted with information regarding smoking cessation and NRT.

TOBACCO ATTACHMENT B.pdf