[Individual guidance model in smoking cessation]

Smoking is the cause of many diseases and one of the most serious risk factors in our country. Despite of this fact smoking habits of clients visiting during surgery hours are only occasionally taken into consideration and documented in the patient records. The Finnish Heart Association started a project in spring 1996 which aims at reducing smoking of patients with coronary artery disease. The aim is to create an individual guidance model for giving up smoking--the model will be a part of daily nursing practice. The model is based on a transition phase model which is now applied for the first time in the Finnish health care. The core of the model is that when a smoker visits during surgery hours his preparedness to give up smoking is defined and guidance is directed according to that level. Also smokers who do not wish to give up smoking are included in the guidance. The guidance model is currently tested at the hospitals, health centres and occupational health care in the area of the towns of Imatra and Lappeenranta. Personnel of test sites was trained in using the model before the intervention was implemented. The intervention ends in spring 1998 and the first results of applicability and effectiveness of the model are received.