Smokeless tobacco and smoking cessation: a program evaluation

During the 1998 mid-winter Board of Directors meeting in Tampa, Florida, the leaders of the Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Nurses (SOHN) discussed the vision and mission of SOHN. Part of the vision that emerged was a long-overdue educational program on smoking cessation. SOHN members wanted a self-contained program to use in their clinical practice or in the community that was simple, easy, and comprehensive. In response to this request, a program was developed and presented at the 1999 SOHN Spring Seminar and repeated at the 1999 SOHN Annual Congress. Program participants increased their knowledge on the subject and expressed positive attitudes about utilizing their knowledge as assessed by two novel evaluation tools. This paper discusses the process of tool development and use as well as the detailed responses of the participants. Directions for future training programs and strategies for increasing implementation of smoking cessation programs in otorhinolaryngology (ORL) nursing practice are also discussed.