Sammanfattning
Background: Smoking is a public health problem. Supporting patients to achieve lifestyle
changes, such as smoking cessation,
is one way for the district nurse to promote health.
Aim: To investigate how the district nurse promotes health and supports patients in smoking
cessation.
Method: A questionnaire was sent to 124 district nurses working with smoking cessation in a region
in western Sweden.
The questionnaire contained both closed and open questions. The responses were analysed using
descriptive statistics and
manifest content analysis.
Findings: The district nurses’ work includes motivating, educating, supporting, informing and
following up patients in need of
smoking cessation. In total, 63% of the district nurses consider themselves to have an important
function in smoking cessation.
Lack of time is a substantial problem and district nurses devote 1-10 hours per week on smoking
cessation. Of the 124 nurses,
43% felt that they did not have enough knowledge about smoking cessation. The district nurses
wished to benefit from the
experience of other colleagues.
Conclusion: District nurses experience lack of time and knowledge. In order to provide quality
support for smoking cessation,
district nurses should possess medical knowledge and be empathic and involved.