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Implementing smoking policies within trusts: nurses' perceptions and views of effectiveness and implications
C Anderson1, S Sengupta, J Coleman
1Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Promotion Service (South Tyneside Health Care Trust), Tyne and Wear, UK.
Aim:
This study set out to explore nurses' views and perceptions of their hospital Trust's smoking policy, and the effects that it has had on both staff and patients.
Background:
Although soliciting and considering the views and perceptions of staff during smoking policy development increases the likelihood of effective implementation, such activity does not appear to be routinely undertaken within the NHS.
Methods:
Semistructured interviews were conducted with seven surgical nurses working within one district general hospital in the UK.
Results:
While all of the subjects acknowledged the value of there being a smoking policy, they felt that their Trust's policy placed nurses in a powerless and vulnerable position, with little support available to help effectively address the problems that smoking raised for them and their patients.
Conclusions:
NHS Trusts that wish to develop and implement effective smoking policies should engage their staff throughout the process, and not underestimate the positive contribution that they all can make.