Hi Lou I work nights and I do 10 hour shifts also I'm a smoker and I would not disrespect my colleagues by expecting to go on cig breaks whenever i needed one i have around 3 cigs on a shift and they are in my unpaid break it should be up to the discretion of the nurse in charge to for whoever smokes should take the none smokers into consideration

Buy a pack of sweet cigarettes and take the same time as the smokers take. If they say anything suggest they are the ones taking the piss out of you and if they are half decent people they will understand your point!

smokin
Take heart Lou, the breaks the smokers take will shorten their life span and you will eventually catch up......see how life works out??

dont be so miserable, i am a smoker but only have a smoke break when it is all clear that nothing is left to do for ten minutes or so, i respect everyone if you need a three minute break take one what is the problem, you obviously work with staff that are not conciderate to your needs. people dont understand about nicotene addiction, do some research then you might better understand your patients needs

See now here's a problem...You say you only smoke if nothing will need to be done for 10 minutes or so...then you say that you respect anyone who takes a 3 minutes break...Maybe I'm a little rusty on my math, but that just doesn't add up... I've been the lucky the last couple of years in that smokers are more than happy to cover for you to take a break, so I've not had this problem and honestly, I guess I always just forget to take my breaks unless I need to get off the floor for a few minutes, but that's just me.
As far as the 'People don't understand nicotine addiction, do some research and you'll understand your patients needs better." That comment is downright rude. Just because a nurse does not smoke has absolutely nothing to do with not understanding a patients needs. I don't mind if a patient smokes or has smoking privileges, but I don't like having to escort them as a nonsmoker if the orders involves escort. The only time I don't like a patient to leave the unit to smoke is if they have a large amount of narcotics in their system, are unsteady on their feet, or in my last instance, are going through alcohol withdrawal so bad they can't see straight or even stand up without falling over.
I think the 'needs' relating to nicotine addiction play a very far second in relation to patient safety.

Stop covering the smokers patients. Tell them if they want to smoke they need to get another smoker to cover their patients.

I have decided that perhaps I will just make people think that I am a smoker and take my "smoke break" so that I may go to the bathroom to simply empty my bladder. I have had kidney infections, stones, etc simply because I had to cover for all smokers, never getting a break myself. Claim your break time... it is yours!!! Get it however you must. I do not believe in lying... really... but you do not have to have a reason .. your break is yours. Take it.

just do the things that you like and don't listen to other people. Just make sure that you stay clean all the way to your shift.

smoke breaks
First I would like to say is that if you want a break, it is your right to take one! I am a smoker and have an understanding with my co-workers. First, it is my choice to smoke. Second, instead of taking lunch I am off the floor twice in a 12 hour shift to smoke for 10 minutes. I do not leave the floor if my patients are not stable enough for me to be away from them.
I take responsibility for my actions and my vices. What does it matter that I am off the floor for appoximately 10 minutes, when most of the other nurses are huddled in the break room or some corner of the floor chatting for 15-20 minutes.

take your breaks smokers and non-smokers
I don't really care whether or not you smoke. You are entitled to take breaks and if you don't, it was your choice not too. Even when you are very busy, there is no reason why you can't come up to a co-worker to cover for you and vice versa for a few minutes. I have heard time and time again nurses complain that they don't even get a break to go to the bathroom. Now, that is ridiculous! As nurses, we are professionals and we are time management pro's. This qualifies us to know that breaks are essential to performing your nursing duties/tasks to the ultimate best. Just as important as sleeping enough hrs per night/day, breaks helps our brains adjust to the many problems that are at hand that we need to solve. I believe that by taking your breaks and stretching, reading, smoking, peeing, whatever it be................you need to take a few moments out of your shift here and there to gather and recollect yourself! Maybe the nurses who are so upset at smokers for taking breaks are just upset at themselves for not being able to manage their time efficiently enough to make sure they, themselves take some sort of break?