Nurse and physician patient counseling about tobacco smoking

A. Taylor Kelley1 and James B. Layton1 Abstract: The objective of this study was to identify whether nurses are as likely as physicians to feel prepared to assist patients to quit smoking, to have smoked in front of patients, or to have received training on counseling patients about smok-ing cessation. The sample consisted of 262 nurses and 251 physicians, ages 18 years and older, from public and private hos-pitals in Jordan. It was found that nurses were more likely than physicians to receive training on counseling patients about smoking cessation (41 % vs. 18%); more likely to currently smoke (30 % vs. 19%); and less likely to feel prepared to assist patients to quit smoking (78 % vs. 95%). Smoking status and training were associated with counseling patients about smok-ing. Approximately 19 % of nurses and 81 % of physicians who currently or formerly smoked had previously smoked in front of patients. Nurses compared with physicians have lower agreement with statements involving smoking-related responsibilities and views on smoking policy, but higher agreement that second-hand smoke is related to selected diseases. Physicians felt more strongly than nurses that they should serve as role models for the public, routinely advise their smoking patients to quit, and speak to lay groups about smoking. In conclusion, a greater level of smoking cessation training among physicians and nurses in Jordan is warranted. (Promot Educ 2008; 15 (3): 9-14) Key words: counseling, cessation, Jordan, prevention, tobacco smokin