Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects
Access Control
Open Access
Embargo Period
4-26-2016
Degree Program
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Track
Family Nurse Practioner
Year Degree Awarded
2016
Month Degree Awarded
May
Keywords
tobacco, cessation, primary care, 5As, intervention
Advisor
Raeann G. LeBlanc
DNP Project Chair
Raeann G. LeBlanc
DNP Project Member Name
Gabrielle Abelard
DNP Project Outside Member Name
Anita L. Morris
Abstract
Background: Quitting smoking at any time benefits health. Primary care visits provide the opportunity to advise current tobacco users to initiate a quit attempt, explain available quit options and arrange for adequate follow-up care. Purpose: The purposes of this DNP project were to provide a staff development educational activity and introduce a workflow modification intended to extend the effectiveness of a tobacco cessation intervention delivered during an office visit. Methods: Medical Assistant staff members responsible for patient recruitment completed a pre-test, viewed an online tobacco educational module and completed a post-test. Using convenience sampling methodology, a cohort of self-identified current tobacco users after being asked if they were contemplating quitting, were recruited, provided consent and became eligible to participate in follow up phone call(s) and an experience survey. Staff members were provided an anonymous staff experience survey. Results: 33% of the nine patients who enrolled, consented and participated in follow up telephone call(s) decided on a quit date (but may not have actually quit) by the end of the project period. Conclusion: Identifying current smokers who are thinking about quitting, providing information and resources to them and arranging for ongoing support may extend the impact of tobacco cessation activity beyond simply asking about tobacco use during the office visit. This process shows promise as a technique to move interested patients towards selecting a quit date while providing the practice with a method to develop sustainable practice-based interventions that integrate positive health behavior change as one of their components.
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