Not being a nurse, I’ve never really thought about what happens when patients are admitted to the hospital and they are smokers. However, this is something that nurses and healthcare providers have to deal with all the time, and a recent survey says that many are not offering patients any help with quitting.
The survey, published in the July issue of Nicotine & Tobacco Research, finds that nurses and healthcare professionals often do not provide information to help patients kick the habit because they feel they lack of training in smoking cessation interventions and that it is not part of their professional responsibilities, among other things.
One of the research teams at The University of California, Davis, found that nearly 99% of the survey participants asked patients whether they smoked. Although some urged patients to quit, few actually assisted patients with getting additional help with the process.
Even though the Joint Commission requires nurses to help patients stop smoking, do you think nurses and healthcare professionals should be required to help patients quit smoking? What other ways can nurses offer help to patients?
July 1st, 2010 at 1:39 pm
It is actually mandatory by the Joint Commission that a hospital offer smoking cessation information for all patients. In the facility that I work we offer educational information to even patients that do not smole for the mere fact that they want to share it with a family member or friend that uses tobacco.
So, to answer the question, yes…..nurses should help to provided assistance with kicking the habit.
September 15th, 2010 at 4:42 am
Make your own life time more easy take the credit loans and everything you want.