Factors determining cardiac nurses' intentions to continue using a smoking cessation protocol

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to facilitate the continued use of a smoking cessation protocol among cardiac nurses by assessing their intentions and motives for continuation. A model that combines attitude, social influence, and self-efficacy constructs as predictors of intentions (ASE model) served as the theoretical framework. SETTING: The study took place in the cardiology wards of 5 hospitals. RESPONDENTS: Respondents were 85 nurses who worked in the cardiology wards of the hospitals OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome measures were nurses' intentions and motives for continuing to use a smoking cessation protocol for patients who smoke. RESULTS: Greater perceived simplicity and advantages of the protocol were associated with increased intentions to continue, whereas perceived social influences and self-efficacy were not. The influence of the level of experience in using the protocol and the nurses' own smoking behavior was mediated by attitude about the smoking cessation protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses who do not intend to continue using the protocol need to be convinced of the advantages of working with such a protocol and of its user-friendliness.