A smoking awareness week took place in University Hospital Monklands to raise awareness amongst staff of the expectations and responsibilities around identifying patients who smoke on admission and improve management of patients’ nicotine addiction.
As well as improved person-centred, safe, effective care, it also aimed to reduce the health and safety risks to patients, staff, visitors and the building.
Lynne O’Hare, nurse specialist for the stop smoking service, who oversaw the week, said: “There are occasions when some patients who smoke are determined to leave the ward to do this even though they are not medically fit to do so.
“We wanted to help staff manage these situations better by improving their recognition
and management of patients’ nicotine withdrawal symptoms on admission.
“Doing so will help them deliver the person-centred safe, effective care that all staff want to deliver for patients.
“We also used the week to remind staff about a standard operating procedure (SOP) which gives clear guidance to staff on managing patients.”