Ontario, Canada (Nursing Salary. Org) – Nurses from all across eastern Ontario have gathered in Ottawa to learn a very new skill indeed this Friday. They will be training to wage a war against smoking! Now, that sounds very military style doesn’t it? Nurses from across Canada will be trained in this workshop to maximize their efforts and skills in prospect of helping patients in reducing and stopping their smoking.
Held at Richelieu-Vanier community centre, the workshop was sponsored by Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario.
Nurses Passionate About Helping Smokers Quit
Research studies have shown short conversation with an empathic nurse about quitting smoking that spans only three minutes to effectively impact prospective smoking quitters
Gloria Cunningham has been working at cardiac rehabilitation for the past 15 years. On Friday, she claimed that it was not easy for most nurses to approach their patients about smoking problems. This is especially true if the patient is admitted in the hospital for some condition unrelated to smoking.
Training Canadian Nurses in Helping Patients Quit Smoking
She says that the main problem is asking first. Once you ask a patient if they smoke and get a response in the affirmative, all you have to do as a nurse is get them started in the correct direction and give them somewhat of a ‘boost’. Most of this is motivational talking and helping keep quitters on track.
One of the facilitators at this workshop, Joyce Hodgins, comments that they hope to drive smokers towards taking that all-important step by aiding health care professionals and nurses with the necessary expertise to confidently conduct such brief interventions.
Twenty percent of all Ontario dwellers are smokers. Joyce continues and states that this is a very large number of citizens that still suffer from health effects coming out of use of tobacco. More than fifty percent of these people are potential quitters with a pure intention and goal. However, many often fail in spite of several attempts.
According to research, nurses and other front-line health professionals can speed up the process and make a real difference. In fact, most results can be seen simply through talking with patients regarding quitting smoking.
Cunningham chuckles at the fact that helping smokers quit has always been a passion of hers. She hopes to get rid of all smokers one step at a time.
Only fifty nurses were at this Friday workshop. However, similar workshops have been attended by over 500 nurses all over Ontario recently. If such programs are starting to show positive results in patients, similar programs may spread across borders to the USA soon as well.
