Smoking practices among nursing students: a comparison of two studies

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Health Behavior

Background:

• High smoking rates among nurses contradict their professional health advocacy.
• Nurses who smoke may negatively influence patient smoking cessation efforts.
• Previous studies indicate high smoking incidence among nursing students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare smoking practices in two independent studies of nursing students.
• To identify factors influencing smoking behaviors within nursing education.
• To inform strategies for smoking prevention and cessation in nursing.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of two independent studies with similar designs.
• Examination of smoking rates among nursing students.
• Investigation of smoking initiation and cessation behaviors.

Main Results:

• Smoking rates among nursing students were comparable to the general female population and registered nurses.
• A significant proportion of smoking students initiated or increased smoking during nursing school.
• Students were aware of smoking's health risks and many had attempted to quit.

Conclusions:

• Nursing education settings present opportunities to address student smoking.
• Strategies are needed to prevent smoking initiation and promote cessation among future nurses.
• Addressing nurse smoking is crucial for effective patient health education.