Implementing the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research's Smoking Cessation Guideline in a lung cancer surgery clinic

Abstract

Purpose/objectives: To determine the effectiveness of a nurse-managed smoking cessation intervention based on the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research's (AHCPR's) Smoking Cessation Guideline in a lung cancer surgery clinic.

Design: Quasi-experimental.

Setting: Urban, Midwest, academic, and tertiary care.

Sample: 25 adult male and female smokers with a confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer that had been surgically managed. Subjects were assigned to an intervention group (n = 14) or a usual-care group (n = 11).

Methods: Participants in the intervention group received a nurse-delivered, AHCPR-based smoking cessation intervention that included face-to-face and phone follow-up contact beginning with the first preoperative clinic consultation. Usual-care participants received routine care provided at the institution.

Main research variables: Self-reported smoking status with expired air carbon monoxide confirmation six months postsurgery.

Findings: Seventy-one percent of the intervention group was biochemically confirmed to be abstinent by expired air carbon monoxide, as compared to 55% in the usual-care group.

Conclusions: Smokers diagnosed with lung cancer desired to quit smoking and may benefit from an intensive smoking cessation intervention at time of diagnosis.

Implications for nursing practice: Further research should include continuing evaluation of an intensive smoking cessation intervention with this population, and all clinicians should be trained to implement AHCPR's Smoking Cessation Guideline in practice.