Smoking history and attitudes of nurses at a large tertiary care facility.

Abstract

A study of the smoking behavior of nurses working at a large tertiary care facility with a major cancer program was conducted to address the issue of smoking in the health care professional. The study focused on the attitudes of nurses regarding cigarette smoking, their personal smoking behavior, their perception of the role of health care providers as behavioral models for patients, and their perception of the impact of a patient or professional smoking in a health care setting. Over 500 surveys were distributed to nurses at the facility and the response was analyzed by the demographic characteristics of the nurses and the areas of the facility in which they worked. Results of the study address several considerations. The prevalence of smoking among nurses and the association with specific demographic characteristics are compared to women in the general population. The nurse's perception of the profession's role as behavioral model for the patient is measured and analyzed for impact on personal smoking behavior. Future smoking cessation programs can be designed for nurses based on these findings. Specific target populations can be identified for special assistance in antismoking efforts.