Collaborative Project To Support Smoking Cessation

The Burdett Trust for Nursing is funding a multi-disciplinary research team from the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB), University of South Wales (USW) and Public Health Wales for a study aimed at empowering nurses to have conversations with hospital patients about smoking and quitting.

The study will explore the challenges nurses face in discussing smoking cessation with patients, in hospital environments, and develop an intervention to address these.

Time constraints, lack of experience and uncertainty around referral processes are key barriers. Sometimes, nurses find it difficult to engage patients who are long-term smokers, some of whom may be resistant to change. This reality emphasises the need for effective, research-informed interventions to support nurses in these conversations.

The study will unfold in three stages. In the first stage, research data will be gathered through surveys and focus groups with registered nurses and interviews with patients in CTM UHB. This initial phase will assess current attitudes and practices around smoking cessation in secondary care settings, providing critical insights for the next phase.

The second stage involves workshops to co-design an intervention with nurses. This hands-on approach will ensure that the solution is practical and aligns with the real-world challenges nurses face in their daily roles.

The idea is for nurses to have input into the intervention, so we can develop something that makes it easier for them to refer patients to smoking cessation services, like Help Me Quit.

While the exact format of the intervention remains to be determined, possibilities include educational materials or tools to streamline the referral process. The third and final phase of the study will implement and pilot the intervention with researchers monitoring its effectiveness.

A significant motivation for this study is the disparity between the number of smokers admitted to hospitals in the CTMUHB area and the relatively low number of smoking cessation referrals. This work is crucial in closing that gap.

If successful, the intervention could be adopted more widely across Wales and integrated into other healthcare settings. The potential for broader impact is significant, as smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and death in Wales.