Smoking and Tobacco Cessation Education Project

Bolin, Leslie D.

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Leslie D. Bolin, MSN¹
Ann Hart, MSN²
Cathy Maynor, RN¹
(1)Cardiovascular Short Stay Unit, Gaston Memorial Hospital, Gastonia, NC
(2)CaroMont Health, Gaston Memorial Hospital, Gastonia, NC

Learning Objective 1: List the five steps of the “5 A’s” approach to smoking cessation counseling.

Learning Objective 2: Evaluate and compare the impact of a computer-based learning module and a classroom training session on nurses’ smoking cessation counseling.

Background:Although the prevalence of tobacco use among adults in the United States is less than half the rate observed in the 1960s, tobacco use remains an enormous health threat and precursor for cardiovascular disease (DHHS, 2008). Tobacco cessation interventions allow the nurse opportunities to decrease the loss of life and health caused by tobacco use. An effective approach to engage nurses in a smoking cessation intervention is to provide them with information on the effective treatment options and institutional support available (DHHS, 2008).

Purpose:The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the impact on nurses’ self-efficacy and practice of tobacco cessation counseling of a brief computer-based learning (CBL) module and a classroom training session. The target audience is nurses involved in direct patient care and in staff training.

Method:Registered nurses were recruited with flyers and through e-mail contact on the hospital intranet. After the nurses gave consent to participate in the study, a randomized, two-group, quasi-experimental design was used. Subjects were randomly assigned to the computer-based learning group or the classroom training session. One group received a CBL learning module. The other group received a 3 hour classroom training session. The Modified “5 A’s” Training Program Survey, a 14-item instrument designed to evaluate the degree of self-efficacy and change in behavior for smoking cessation counseling by nurses, was administered before, immediately after, and at one month after the training.

Results:Survey results indicated significant gains in 4 of 14 items immediately after the CBL training and in 8 of 14 items at one month. Classroom training produced significant gains in 1 of 14 items immediately after training and 6 of 14 at one month.

Discussion:The brief computer based learning model is an effective method for training RNs.

See more of: Evidence-Based Practice Posters Session 1
See more of: Oral Paper & Poster: Evidence-Based Practice Sessions