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

INTRODUCTION: Smoking 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. METHODS: A 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. RESULTS: A 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). CONCLUSIONS: The 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.