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.