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Can doctors tell if you have ever smoked?
Yes, your doctor can tell if you smoke occasionally by looking at medical tests that can detect nicotine in your blood, saliva, urine and hair. When you smoke or get exposed to secondhand smoke, the nicotine you inhale gets absorbed into your blood.
Do doctors ask about smoking?
Most patients expect doctors to ask about smoking, even if their answer hasn’t changed from their previous visit. “It’s an addiction and tough to quit, but patients have more respect for their doctor when he or she asks about it and offers to help them quit,” Foulds said.
Why should you ask if a patient is a smoker?
It’s sensible for patients to be asked if they smoke, as smoking can increase the risk of oral cancer and periodontitis. Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for oral cancer, so it’s also helpful to have an idea of a patient’s drinking habits.
Should you tell your doctor you smoke cigarettes?
Even if you’re just a “social” smoker — a cigarette or two when you’re at happy hour — or trying to cut down and eventually quit, you’ve got to tell your doctor. Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease and has even been associated with premature aging. Don’t fear judgment from your doctor.
How do you get nicotine out of your system before surgery?
The following methods may help clear nicotine from the body:
- Drink plenty of water to flush waste products from the kidneys and liver.
- Exercise to get the blood moving, boost circulation, and release waste products through sweat.
- Eat a healthful diet rich in antioxidants to help the body repair itself.
Do doctors and other medical professionals smoke?
With their detailed knowledge of the risks of smoking, it’s not surprising that most doctors and other medical professionals usually don’t smoke. But some do, despite many having first-hand experience of its dangers.
Should doctors and nurses be encouraged to quit smoking?
Whether for ethical reasons, professional reasons or for the multitude of health benefits that come from quitting smoking, doctors and nurses should be encouraged to quit smoking. Having first-hand experience with the quitting process also enables them to give more insight and advice to patients attempting to quit smoking.
What are the ethical issues of smoking in the medical field?
For ethical issues, the most obvious is that it could be seen as hypocritical. Doctors and nurses smoking is seen by some people as undermining their credibility when telling patients about the dangers of smoking and why they should quit.
Why do so many young nurses smoke?
The evidence shows that nurses often start smoking before undertaking their training, and do so for many of the same reasons other young women (and people in general) start smoking. Being a nurse (or a doctor) can also be very stressful, so this likely has a role to play too.