Impact of tobacco cessation education on behaviors of nursing undergraduates in helping smokers to quit smoking.

introductionSmoking continues to be a significant public health issue, but nursing students do not receive sufficient training on tobacco cessation education. Integrating the 5As behaviors for tobacco cessation into a compulsory course could improve nursing students' skills and increase their clinical behaviors for assisting patients in quitting smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of evidence-based tobacco cessation education on the perceptions and behaviors of nursing students who are assisting patients to quit smoking.

methodsA prospective single-group design was used to evaluate the perceptions and behaviors of 626 senior nursing students enrolled in an education program, at three time points: baseline, 3 months post education, and 6 months post education. Data were collected, before and after the tobacco cessation education, using assessment tools for knowledge, attitudes, and the 5As behaviors for assisting patients to quit smoking.

resultsA total of 572 senior students completed the baseline survey, 289 students completed the survey 3 months post education, 348 students completed the survey 6 months post education, and 285 students completed all three surveys. Knowledge and self-efficacy of tobacco cessation were improved dramatically (p<0.05) after the education program, compared with the baseline survey. At 6 months post education, compared with at 3 months post education, nursing students reported more interventions of asking, advising, assessing, assisting, and arranging smokers to quit smoking (p<0.05).

conclusionsThe integration of tobacco cessation education into compulsory courses could improve clinical skills and enhance the behaviors of nursing students for assisting patients to quit smoking.