The policy prohibits new hires from using all types of nicotine, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes and nicotine patches and gum. Prospective employees will be tested for nicotine with a urine test and if they fail, they must wait 90 days to reapply.
Current hospital employees will be tested for nicotine with the current drug-screening program. The hospital will reach out to employees who test positive for nicotine to address the issue from an educational perspective, according to the report.
Approximately 8 to 12 percent of the hospitals 4,000-member staff are smokers, Jennifer Holland, the director of occupational health for the hospital told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
“We continue to see medical plans [costs] go up every year, which suggests that we’re not necessarily getting healthier. Smoking is one of those things we can control,” Ms. Holland said.
More articles on workforce and labor management:
Healthcare employers to participate in Pennsylvania job fair
Strike planned at ACMH Hospital
7 hospitals, health systems that are adding jobs
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
