Registered Nurses' Perspectives on Tobacco Reduction: Views from Western Canada

Abstract

Treatment of tobacco-related health conditions have increasingly become a significant part of nursing practice and nurses are being challenged to also provide cessation support as part of their care. This study describes nurses' views of and practice related to tobacco reduction. Registered nurses (N = 365) employed by 2 Western Canadian mid-sized hospitals were surveyed; response rates were 43% (n = 101) and 86% (n = 113). The respondents agreed that they had a role to play in tobacco reduction; however, beyond assessment of smoking status, best practice guideline activities had not been integrated into the practice of most nurses. Nurses' perspectives related to institutional support, self-efficacy, and perception of patient expectations, and their attitudes towards tobacco reduction, are described. The nurses candidly reported feeling unprepared and having limited institutional support for assisting with cessation. Additionally, response differences between hospital sites suggest that the integration of tobacco reduction into practice will require a commitment by both nurses and hospitals.