Theoretically, when a car is parked on someone's property (a hospital in this case)

[avebury]

27. Any person or business has the right, as the owner of a piece of property,

Last edited Mon Nov 24, 2014, 09:11 AM - Edit history (1)

to make decisions regarding said property. Ownership is not operated on a democratic basis.

In this instance, the hospital is not dictating that a person cannot smoke. They only take the position that you cannot do it on their property and, like it or not, that is their right. As this is a hospital, that does not appear to be an unreasonable decision. It is a fact that smokers have higher health risks and costs then non-smokers. It is also a fact that the "customers" of hospitals are the patients and, as such, their welfare must trump the workers. Patients have compromised health (or they would not be in the hospital in the first place). They have a right to not be subjected to second hand smoke. Also, due to the nature of the work provided by a hospital, you cannot have a workforce that continually is running outside to have a smoke. It would not bode well for a patient going into cardiac arrest if your nurse is outside puffing away. When patients do code, employees don't have the luxury of taking the elevator but must be able to run up or down the stairway at times to get to the patient.

We are supposed to be living in civilized times where the needs of the many should outweigh the needs of the few. I worked in a hospital in my younger days and there is nothing wrong with this hospital's decision. They want a healthier work force, better environment for the patients and has the added benefit of being good business.

Management might be deemed patriarchal but, if the OP chooses to take them on, this is not the right battle to pick. It is not a battle that would gain him/her a lot of support from the patients or the public.