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Treating smokers prompts nurse to quit habit 

Years of helping patients suffering with smoking related diseases has seen Bradford nurse Julie Tucker quit the cigarettes for good.

Ms Tucker, who works as a healthcare assistant for a district nursing team, started smoking when she was 11. After smoking 20-30 cigarettes a day for 41 years, Julie finally decided it was time to quit for good.

She said: “As a nurse, I couldn’t really practice what I was preaching. I have seen people with lung cancer, throat cancer and people with part of their tongues missing.

“Having seen the devastation cigarettes can do to people’s health and well being, I decided that enough was enough and thought it was about time I gave up.” . . .

Ms Tucker is now in with a chance of winning a holiday after entering her story in the search for inspirational quitters across the UK for the European Smoke Free Awards 2009.

Are you a nurse who has helped smokers quit cigarettes? Or do you know someone who has been inspirational in helping people stop smoking? Click here to find out how you could win a trip to Barcelona.

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Nursing in Practice - New primary care approach to smoking cessation hailed 

A new systems-based approach to smoking interventions in primary care has increased referrals to local NHS Stop Smoking services by up to 49% in pilot areas, says the Department of Health (DH).

The new approach, which will be rolled out to practices over the next few months, was developed to ensure stop smoking interventions by healthcare professionals are routine and systematic, providing a tailored and consistent approach to patient referral.

The approach recognises smoking as a key clinical issue requiring treatment or referral to a specialist, joining standard issues such as hypertension or high cholesterol.

The system ensures that basic advice on stopping smoking is offered to all smokers, which doubles the likelihood of a quit attempt. Practices that have this systems-based approach in place are expected to see improved quit rates in their patients.

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Chantix side effects no worse with depression history 

People with a likely history of depression who take varenicline (Chantix�) do not report more severe mood symptoms, medication side effects, or less success quitting smoking compared to people with no history of depression taking this drug.

The findings by Group Health, Free & Clear, and SRI International researchers are reported in a Journal of General Internal Medicine article published online (http://www.springerlink.com/content/77207452k3822r3v/). The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded, randomized COMPASS trial tracked more than 1,100 Group Health patients receiving behavioral treatment and varenicline to quit smoking. It's the first "real-world" examination of varenicline use since the original Food and Drug Administration (FDA) studies that the manufacturer funded.

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Smoking Trends in the Nurses' Health Study (1976-2003). 

Results: Current smokers constituted 33.2% of NHS in 1976 and 13.5% of NHS II in 1989. Smoking rates declined in all birth cohorts; 8.4% were smoking in 2002/2003. Seventy-nine percent of nurses who ever smoked had quit. The mean cigarettes per day declined over time but still exceeded half a pack per day (15.1 cigarettes) at the end of follow-up. The mortality rate among current smokers was higher than that of former smokers and was approximately twice that of never smokers in all age categories; those who smoked were more likely to have comorbid conditions.

Discussion: This study provides the first report of smoking trends among RNs in the NHS. The decline in smoking rate among female nurses mirrors the decline in smoking rate among women in the United States over the past 25 years. Increased mortality and morbidity rates indicate the devastating cost of smoking to the profession and can provide support for the urgent need for further research to encourage continued smoking cessation efforts for nursing professionals.

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Fewer than 1 in 10 Nurses Now Smoke  

Like Americans in general, fewer U.S. nurses are smoking than ever, but the habit's effects on those who do are still devastating, according to a new study.

The UCLA School of Nursing study found that the rate of smoking among nurses has fallen from 33.2 percent in 1976 to 8.4 percent in 2003. However, the death rate of those who do or did smoke is still double that of nonsmokers, according to the findings, published in the November/December edition of Nursing Research.

"Nurses witness firsthand how smoking devastates the health of their patients with cancer and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases," principal investigator Linda Sarna, a professor at the UCLA School of Nursing, said in a news release issued by the university. "Yet nurses struggle with nicotine addiction like the rest of the 45 million smokers in America. We are concerned that nurses who smoke may be less apt to support tobacco-control programs or encourage their patients to quit."

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• Nurses not immune to nicotine addiction  

Despite seeing smoking's health effects firsthand, the rate at which U.S. nurses quit smoking has been no faster than for other women, researchers say.

The findings from researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles describe smoking trends among U.S. nurses enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study between 1976 and 2003. The study, begun at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is based on surveys completed every two years by 237,648 female registered nurses.

"Nurses in the study demonstrated behavior patterns similar to women in the general population," lead study investigator Linda Sarna said in a statement. "For example, the younger nurses in the study began smoking before entering the profession, a pattern reflected by American women starting smoking at younger ages in general. Being a nurse did not make these women immune to nicotine addiction."

The study, published in Nursing Research, found the rate of smoking among women in the study declined from 33.2 percent in 1976 to 8.4 percent in 2003

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• Smoking's Effect On Nurses' Health, Death Rates Revealed By UCLA Study 

A new UCLA School of Nursing study is the first to reveal the devastating consequences of smoking on the nursing profession. Published in the November-December edition of the journal Nursing Research, the findings describe smoking trends and death rates among U.S. nurses and emphasize the importance of supporting smoking cessation programs in the nursing field.

"Nurses witness firsthand how smoking devastates the health of their patients with cancer and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases," said principal investigator Linda Sarna, D.N.Sc, a professor at the UCLA School of Nursing. "Yet nurses struggle with nicotine addiction like the rest of the 45 million smokers in America. We are concerned that nurses who smoke may be less apt to support tobacco-control programs or encourage their patients to quit."

Sarna led a team of researchers who analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Study, a historic study on women's health. Launched at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the mid-1970s, the study relied upon surveys completed every two years by 237,648 female registered nurses about their health, including smoking habits. . . .

According to the most recent data, the smoking rate among registered nurses nationwide is nearly 12 percent.

The rate of smoking among women in the Nurses' Health Study declined from 33.2 percent in 1976 to 8.4 percent in 2003. The number of cigarettes smoked per day also dropped. However, the daily number among current smokers still averaged more than 15 cigarettes, or over half a pack.

"When the Nurses' Health Study began in 1976, nursing education gave limited attention to smoking's effect on health. Today, the amount of time devoted to tobacco cessation in the curriculum remains inadequate," Sarna said.

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Impact of smoking and smoking cessation on health-related quality of life in women in the Nurses' Health Study. 

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between smoking and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and the impact of quitting smoking on changes in HRQOL among women in the two Nurses' Health Study (NHS) cohorts . . .

RESULTS: Smokers had lower HRQOL (SF-PCS and SF-MCS) as compared to never and former smokers. Current smoking, cigarettes per day and time since quitting were associated with significantly lower SF-PCS and SF-MCS. Continuing smokers and those who quit had significant declines in SF-PCS over time and significant improvements in SF-MCS at 8 years. There was minimal difference between groups, with some greater improvements in SF-MCS among those reporting non-smoking at 8 years. These findings support the lower ratings of HRQOL by smokers, but quitting alone, after an average of 21 years of smoking, did not improve HRQOL. Further study focused on the HRQOL impact of quitting smoking is needed.

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Nurses Can Help Patients By Taking A Stand Against Smoking 

In the June 2008 issue of MEDSURG Nursing, Paul C. Lewis describes the prevalence of tobacco use and the challenges associated with smoking cessation. . . .

One method that has consistently helped people stop smoking is talking, and Lewis says this is an area where nurses can help. Medical-surgical nurses can play a significant role in getting patients to quit just by educating them about the dangers of tobacco use and offering assistance to quit. By following up and encouraging patients, nurses can take a stand against this significant national health threat.

"Tobacco: What Is It and Why Do People Continue to Use It?" Paul C. Lewis, PhD, FNP-C, RN MEDSURG Nursing; June 2008; www.medsurgnurse.org

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Nurses Expose Big Tobacco, Oil, Predatory Lender And Insurance Attacks On Marty Block 

Geri Jenkins, RN President of the California Nurses Association, and nurse at UC San Diego Medical Center; called on voters to reject attacks by tobacco, oil, predatory lenders and health insurance companies on Assembly candidate Marty Block.

"Voters need to know that the bad guys are trying to fool them," said Geri Jenkins, RN. "The Civil Justice Reform PAC is nothing more than a front for nearly $839,000 in dirty money."

The PAC Californians For Balance And Fairness In The Civil Justice System, Sponsored By Civil Justice Association Of California has so far spent over $30,000 opposing candidate Marty Block in the race for the 78th Assembly District.

The PAC is funded primarily by the tobacco, oil, health insurance industries as well as predatory lenders like Ameriquest and Countrywide.

"This PAC is funded by the same people that claim tobacco and smoking aren't harmful.

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Bad Habit Goes Up in Smoke 

Individuals with SMI or more than twice as likely to smoke than the general population.

* Many individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) are highly motivated to quit and have made quit attempts in the past.

* What those with SMI fear the most is that when they try to stop smoking, symptoms of their mental illness will reoccur. (Through our work, we have found that withdrawal symptoms from cigarette smoking mimic some of the symptoms of mental illness.)

* Providing opportunities for a continuum of support, such as psycho education, peer support, and assistance with appropriate nicotine replacement therapy, significantly increases chances of successfully quitting.

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RNs Praise Courageous Vote by Senate Committee on Badly Flawed Healthcare Bill 

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee today offered praise to the Senate Health Committee for resisting enormous pressure to pass a badly flawed healthcare bill and pledged to work with legislators, community groups, and labor for genuine healthcare reform that avoids the serious shortcomings of AB1X.

In a statement following the vote, CNA/NNOC Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro congratulated the committee "for its thorough, deliberative process and for taking a principled courageous stand despite the enormous pressure brought to bear by those who were pushing for hurried passage for a bad bill." . . .

Additionally, CNA/NNOC noted the serious underfunding of the proposal, including a tobacco tax and "the absurd premise of basing a health bill on essentially encouraging individuals to smoke."

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Nurses can help smokers quit  

Nurses can be effective in helping smokers to quit, a U.S. review of 31 clinical studies involving 12,000 adult smokers.

The review, published in The Cochrane Library, found smokers offered advice by nurses have an increased likelihood of quitting compared to smokers without such intervention.

Study leader Virginia Hill Rice of Wayne State University College of Nursing said nurses have heavy workloads but recognize helping smokers stop is an important responsibility.

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• Big Tobacco and the California Nurses Association: Happy Together 

With Democratic legislators and the Governor on the verge of an agreement on the nation's most sweeping comprehensive health care reform plan, its political foes already are circling. Two of the strangest bedfellows certain to fight the plan will be Big Tobacco and the Nader-endorsing leadership of the California Nurses Association.

Big Tobacco began its lobbying campaign earlier this week, routing calls to legislative offices with anti-consumer messages. And today, CNA-backed single payer advocates began an email campaign to Capitol offices. . . .

All of this will make it very interesting for hear CNA's leadership explain to its rank-and-file members who want health care reform how climbing in bed with tobacco and insurance company interests will improve the quality of care for Californians.

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Weekly versus basic smoking cessation support in primary care: a randomised controlled trial  

Background: There is insufficient and conflicting evidence about whether more intensive behavioural support is more effective than basic behavioural support for smoking cessation and whether primary care nurses can deliver effective behavioural support. . . .

Conclusions: The absolute quit rates achieved are those expected from nicotine replacement alone, implying that neither basic nor weekly support were effective. Primary care smoking cessation treatment should provide pharmacotherapy with sufficient support only to ensure it is used appropriately, and those in need of support should be referred to specialists.

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