Practice nurses can help patients achieve good long term smoking cessation rates and more should be done to provide support and remuneration for this role, an Australian study suggests. In a preliminary trial carried out in 19 general practices in Sydney, smokers achieved 21% abstinence rates six months after taking part in an four-week, practice nurse-delivered smoking cessation program. Lead study author professor Nick Zwar of the  University of New South Wales says the 21% abstinence rate achieved by the program compared favorably to other smoking cessation interventions, and the program was also welcomed by both patients and nurses. Smokers said they preferred dealing face to face with practice nurses rather than with an anonymous Quitline, and the free patches were also a major incentive.

For More Information:

http://www.6minutes.com.au/articles/z1/view.asp?id=523258

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1465-3362.2010.00243.x/abstract