Healthcare Organizations: Getting Started

To support and ensure that nurses adopt practices related to smoking cessation interventions, and to promote a culture of cessation, the RNAO guideline Integrating Smoking Cessation into Daily Nursing Practice recommends that:

• All nursing programs should include content about tobacco use, associated health risks and smoking cessation interventions as core concepts in nursing curricula.
• Organizations consider smoking cessation as integral to nursing health promotion practice,  and thereby integrate a variety of professional development opportunities to support nurses in effectively developing skills in smoking cessation intervention and counselling.
• Organizations develop policy reflecting a commitment to a smoke-free environment and support for smoking cessation.
• Nursing best practice guidelines can be successfully implemented only where there are adequate planning, resources, organizational and administrative support, as well as appropriate facilitation.
• To that end, the RNAO, through a panel of nurses, researchers and administrators has developed the Toolkit: Implementation of clinical practice guidelines based on available evidence, theoretical perspectives and consensus.

The Toolkit recommends that organizations develop a plan for implementation that includes:

• An assessment of organizational readiness and barriers to education.
• Involvement of all members (whether in a direct or indirect supportive function) who will contribute to the implementation process.
• Dedication of a qualified individual to provide the support needed for the education and implementation process.
• Ongoing opportunities for discussion and education to reinforce the importance of best practices.
• Opportunities for reflection on personal and organizational experience in implementing guidelines

• Availability of client education resources that are consistent with the guideline recommendations.