RDNS leads the way with smoke-free workplace

As a leading health and wellbeing organisation in South Australia, the Royal District Nursing Servince of South Australia (RDNS) is making the move to be a completely smoke-free organisation from today, World No-Tobacco Day 2010.

RDNS Spokesperson Professor Debbie Kralik said the overwhelming evidence that smoking causes chronic illness cannot be ignored by health organisations in their workplace policies for the future.

"Our changing policy reflects our modern workforce and their expectations. Smoking tops the list as the cause of premature deaths and disease in every country." Professor Debbie Kralik said. "While smokers in the RDNS workforce are in a very small proportion, we believe it is important for our actions to speak louder than words.

"It's hard to imagine now, but we have come a long way in 20 years, when previously it was common practice for nurses, doctors and patients to be smoking cigarettes in hospital wards."

Tobacco kills approximately 15,000 Australians each year and is responsible for almost 90% of all drug-caused deaths.*

The RDNS will join the SA Department of Health in the move, with both organisations going Smoke-Free from Monday 31 May. The State Government banned smoking in all enclosed South Australian workplaces in October 2007.

The new policy means there will no longer be smoking allowed within 7 metres of an RDNS boundary, RDNS signage or RDNS vehicles including the footpath outside RDNS buildings.

RDNS staff will no longer be able to smoke when they can be identified as a RDNS employee. Identification can include but is not limited to: identification badges, uniforms, representing RDNS at public meetings, forums or conferences.

Professor Kralik said current smokers on the RDNS staff who would like help to quit, or manage their habit during work hours will be supported by the RDNS to do so. "RDNs staff are provided with choices to quit. We are providing Nicotine Replacement Therapies to staff at cost and ensuring access to information from QuitSA," she said.

"The more workplaces in South Australia which become smoke-free, the better the health outcomes will be for all South Australians."

(Source: Royal District Nursing Service of South Australia: May 2010)