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. 2011 Jan;67(1):176-83.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05483.x. Epub 2010 Oct 8.

Training nurses in the treatment of tobacco use and dependence: pre- and post-training results

Christine E Sheffer  1 , Claudia Barone, Michael E Anders
Affiliations

Training nurses in the treatment of tobacco use and dependence: pre- and post-training results

Christine E Sheffer et al. J Adv Nurs. 2011 Jan.

Abstract

Aim: This paper is a report of a study conducted to examine the effects of a brief training in the treatment of tobacco use and dependence on the tobacco use intervention-related knowledge and attitudes of nurses.

Background: Nurses are the largest group of healthcare providers and they have an extended reach into the population of tobacco users. Thus, increasing the number of nurses who deliver brief evidence-based interventions for tobacco use and dependence, such as that prescribed by the Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline in the United States of America, is likely to expose more tobacco users to evidence-based treatments and lead to more successful quit attempts. Effective training is key to improving provider proficiency in delivering evidence-based interventions for tobacco use and dependence.

Method: A 1-hour didactic training was delivered to 359 nurses from 2006 to 2007, including 54 Advanced Practice Nurses, 250 Registered Nurses and 55 Licensed Practical Nurses. Pre- and post-training tests assessed attitudes, knowledge and behaviours. Paired samples t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-test results.

Results: Statistically significant increases on nearly all measures were achieved, with Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses realizing the largest gains.

Conclusion: Given the overwhelming impact of tobacco use on patients, all nurses should be provided with training in the delivery of brief, evidence-based interventions for tobacco use. As the most trusted healthcare provider group with an extended reach into the tobacco using population, nurses have a large potential impact on the prevalence of tobacco use.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest:

No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Knowledge and attitudes prior to training and after training assessed on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 = “none or not at all” and 10 = “the most possible.” Paired samples t-tests revealed statistically significant increases in scores on every measure for every group of nurses (p. > .01), except for the measure of importance for APNs. The top of the bar reflects the mean score after training. The top of the dotted portion of the bar reflects the mean score prior to training. The hashed portion of the bar reflects the mean increase in the score from pre- to post-training.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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