Smoking prevalence, attitudes, and perceived smoking prevention and control responsibilities and practices among nurses in Amman, Jordan

This study assesses smoking prevalence, attitudes, and perceived patient counselling responsibilities among practicing nurses in Amman, Jordan. It also identifies whether their smoking status or training in counselling patients about smoking is associated with their smoking-related attitudes and counselling practices. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 266 (n = 266) nurses at four public and private hospitals in Amman. Smoking prevalence was 42% for male nurses and 13% for female nurses. Nurses strongly favoured enforcement of anti-smoking policy, but did not strongly agree that nurses should be involved in counselling patients about smoking. Approximately 41% of nurses indicated that they had received training on counselling patients about smoking. Nurse training with respect to counselling patients about smoking was positively associated with the nurses' belief that their counselling could help patients stop or never start smoking. In addition, nurses with counselling training about smoking felt significantly better prepared to assist patients to quit smoking. Nurses who smoked were significantly less likely to believe their counselling of patients about smoking could be effective. Finally, smoking status was not significantly associated with how well prepared the nurses felt to assist patients to quit smoking. These findings identify a need for more extensive and better-tailored training programmes for nurses on patient counselling about smoking.