Quitting smoking is the single most crucial decision a patient can make for their health. Despite the fact that 70% of smokers want to stop, only 3% actually succeed without help from a smoking cessation intervention. During the admission assessment, nurses are in a great position to start the process of encouraging their patients to think about quitting.
A global health concern
With more than eight million deaths per year worldwide, the tobacco epidemic is one of the greatest threats to public health the world has ever seen. More than seven million of those fatalities are directly related to tobacco use, while only 1.2 million are caused by secondhand smoke exposure in non-smokers.
In light of this alarming fact, the international council of nurses (ICN) urges member associations to coordinate their efforts with those of other national organizations in order to alert the public and government to the negative health effects of tobacco use and to press for tobacco use to be reduced, discouraged, and outlawed, including by making cessation programs available. The majority of these visits are conducted by nurses, who comprise the largest group of healthcare professionals worldwide.
Smoking cessation recommendation
The fight against tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke is progressing on a global scale. Good examples include the efforts of the federal and provincial governments to control advertising, and packaging, restricting access for minors by raising the cost of cigarettes through taxation, and imposing limits on second-hand smoke exposure in public places.
Understanding the risks to one's health and realizing that smoking is an addiction have both contributed to the movement to reduce tobacco use. Through media campaigns, the general public's awareness of the risks of secondhand smoke has also increased.
The main goal of this recommendation is to inspire and support all nurses in their efforts to determine whether their patients smoke and to encourage them to speak sensitively and compassionately with those who smoke about the value of quitting.
Nurses' role in helping people stop smoking
The health of patients can be significantly influenced by nurses. Nurses, whether they work in a hospital or in the community, are in a prime position to motivate smokers to quit. A health professional's simplest intervention can have a significant impact on motivating a smoker to quit or seek help to stop.
Replacement therapy for nicotine
There are many different types of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), including patches, gum, lozenges, nicotine sublingual tablets, nasal sprays, and inhalators. It is intended to provide patients with a controlled dose of nicotine to aid in the management of cravings after quitting smoking.
NRT can double the likelihood of a successful quit attempt, according to clinical trials, and this likelihood is even higher when accompanied by medical advice. NRT is a prescription-only product, and many primary care trusts have patient group directives allowing nurses to administer these treatments.
Continuous healthcare teaching
Nurses are in a unique position to support and encourage smokers who want to stop because many quit due to health issues. It is crucial to approach the topic without bias and to view information on quitting smoking as professional advice. Nurses are in a good position to provide advice on smoking cessation services and treatments because they will be familiar with patients' prior experiences.
Behavior modification
Smoking cessation counselors who have received training should offer to counsel, whether it be individual, group, or telephone-based. This training enables primary care nurses to conduct counseling sessions independently and to offer self-help resources. Primary care nurses can give people advice on the different types of medications available to help them stop, including NRT products that can be purchased from pharmacies. Only nurses who have received special training in prescribing medications are permitted to write prescriptions for medications.
Primary care nurses are in a good position to inquire about smoking status, provide advice and self-help materials, and, where appropriate, specialist services because they see a diverse cross-section of the population daily.
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