Do as I say and not as I do

I was recently talking to a friend of a friend who was horrified to learn that I smoked and was training to become a nurse. They felt that it was my moral and professional duty to stop smoking and promote a healthy lifestyle. If fact, they commented “that if they had their way people who smoked would not be able to train as nurses”.

I am aware that smoking is bad for you and it is my duty to promote health, but how much should my job impinge upon my private life ? I do not smoke in-front of patients, not do I encourage them to smoke. However, I do not tell them to stop. As well as being hypocritical it would also be poor health promotion. As soon as you tell someone they can’t do something they want to do it more. I provide them with the relevant information and allow the individual to make an informed decision based on the best available knowledge.

I must also mention that the person who made these comments was slightly overweight and did not take to kindly when I mentioned this and the negative health effects that obesity had (equal to smoking). Should people wanting to become nurses have their BMI measured and those who are too fat be told they will not be accepted into nursing as they are setting a bad example to patients ?

When it comes down to it there are fat nurses, thin ones, ones who smoke, ones who drink too much and those that take part in many other activities that would be classed as not appropriate for health professional, but they all provide great care.

So do as I say and not as I do.