Earlier this year we asked our members to complete the following tobacco dependence survey, which we have posted below. We received 1288 completed surveys and used the results to launch the work of APNA’s Tobacco Dependence Task Force. A report of the work of the task force can be found in the APNA newsletter; our position statement can be found on this webpage under the Tobacco Dependence Task Force link. We are very grateful to all those who participated in the survey. Ongoing educational, clinical, and/or research opportunities designed to help our members and others eliminate tobacco dependence among nurses, students and those entrusted to our care will be forthcoming.This survey was conducted to assess the current state of tobacco dependence efforts and programs in the mental health community. APNA in partnership with the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, a national program office of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, collected responses from members to develop a set of goals and a tobacco dependence action plan to help mental health nurses reduce/eliminate smoking among patients for whom they provide care.
Be safe,
Nicholas Croce Jr., MS
APNA Executive Director
Survery Questions
1. Please select the highest level of nursing education you have achieved.
Diploma 5.1%
Associate 9.9%
Bachelor 20.1%
Masters 55.3%
Doctorate 9.7%
2. What is/are your certification(s)? (Check all that apply.)
Adult PMH CNS 68.3%
Adult PMH NP 25.2%
Family PMH NP 9.7%
Child and Adolescent PMH CNS 10.4%
3. I am a(n): (Check all that apply.)
Student 6.9%
Staff Nurse 29.0%
Clinical Specialist 31.4%
Nurse Practitioner 20.2%
Faculty Member 20.9%
4. How many years have you been a PMH nurse?
5 years or less 17.2%
6-10 years 11.6%
11-15 years 13.1%
16-20 years 12.0%
21 years or more 46.0%
5. Do you think tobacco dependence treatment is a necessary part of recovery from mental illness and/or other addictive disorders?
Yes 72.5%
No 27.5%
6. Do you work in a tobacco free setting?
Yes 82.0%
No 18.0%
7. Do you currently provide PMH client services (either directly or indirectly)?
Yes 89.2%
No 10.8%
8. What is your practice setting? Primary Secondary
Inpatient psychiatric service 79.9% 20.1%
Inpatient non-psychiatric service 63.6% 36.4%
Outpatient Public 73.2% 26.8%
Outpatient Private 69.8% 30.2%
School, primary or secondary 52.6% 47.4%
College/University 74.0% 26.0%
Corrections 41.4% 58.6%
Residential 50.0% 50.0%
Home Care 58.1% 41.9%
Primary Care 41.2% 58.8%
Not Applicable 60.7% 39.3%
9. Who is your employer?
Hospital, Private, For-profit 6.6%
Hospital, Private, Non-profit 31.2%
Hospital, Public, not VA 12.3%
Hospital, Public, VA 7.1%
Public Community Mental Health 12.6%
Agency, no VA
VA Community-Based Center 1.6%
Group Practice 5.7%
School Board 0.3%
Corrections Facility Private 0.2%
Corrections Facility Public 1.4%
Home Care Agency 1.2%
Military Health System 1.7%
College/University 21.0%
Self-Employed 10.5%
10. Please rate providing tobacco dependence interventions for your clients among your own work priorities:
(1= very low priority; 10=very high priority)
10 7.9%
9 9.2%
8 14.7%
7 12.3%
6 8.8%
5 14.6%
4 9.9%
3 10.6%
2 7.0%
1 5.0%
11. Please rate providing tobacco dependence interventions for your clients among your work organization's priorities:
(1= very low priority; 10=very high priority)
10 9.3%
9 11.0%
8 14.9%
7 11.4%
6 8.8%
5 12.0%
4 7.0%
3 9.6%
2 9.6%
1 6.4%
12. Do you consistently screen your clients for tobacco use?
Yes 84.6%
No 15.4%
13. Do you routinely refer your clients to tobacco dependence intervention resourses?
Yes 60.6%
No 39.4%
14. Do you or your organization provide intensive tobacco dependence treatment (4 to 8 sessions exceeding 30 minutes total
contact time with pharmacotherapy and behavioral counseling) for clients who use tobacco?
Yes 29.4%
No 70.6%
15. On average, how do you rate your ability to help your clients stop smoking?
(1= not at all able; 10=very highly able)
10 3.4%
9 3.0%
8 6.3%
7 9.6%
6 9.9%
5 18.3%
4 10.3%
3 17.8%
2 15.2%
1 6.2%
16. Please rate your knowledge base with respect to the following:
(1= not at all knowledgeable; 10=extremely knowledgeable)
Medications to aid cessation
10 14.1%
9 17.1%
8 20.3%
7 13.7%
6 9.5%
5 10.4%
4 5.6%
3 5.9%
2 2.8%
1 0.7%
Counseling strategies to aid cessation
10 10.0%
9 13.1%
8 16.9%
7 12.5%
6 12.4%
5 12.8%
4 7.6%
3 8.3%
2 5.2%
1 1.4%
Available resources (community, online, etc.) to aid cessation
10 9.3%
9 14.1%
8 16.2%
7 13.4%
6 11.6%
5 12.1%
4 8.4%
3 7.1%
2 5.7%
1 1.9%
17. On average, how do you rate your motivation to help your clients stop smoking? 1(not at all motivated); 10(very highly motivated)
10 18.5%
9 12.3%
8 15.8%
7 14.8%
6 10.8%
5 12.3%
4 6.2%
3 5.2%
2 2.6%
1 1.6%
18. On average, how do you rate clients/consumers motivation to quite somking? 1(not at all motivated); 10(very highly motivated)
10 0.2%
9 0.6%
8 2.0%
7 4.1%
6 8.7%
5 13.7%
4 12.0%
3 19.7%
2 23.3%
1 15.9%
19. On average, how do you rate your clients/consumers ability to quit smoking? 1(not at all able); 10(very highly able)
10 0.7%
9 1.2%
8 3.1%
7 5.6%
6 8.5%
5 15.6%
4 15.6%
3 23.3%
2 20.3%
1 15.9%
20. Are you a member of the teaching faculty for an undergraduate and/or graduate nursing program?
Yes 26.8%
No 73.2%
21. Is the assessment and treatment of tobacco dependence disorder a component of your undergraduate nursing curriculum?
Yes 55.6%
No 44.4%
22. Please estimate the total number of hours devoted to tobacco dependence in your undergraduate cirriculum:
More than 3 hours 7.0%
3 hours 9.9%
1 to 2 hours 43.0%
Less than 1 hour 40.1%
23. Is the assessment and treatment of tobacco dependence disorder a component of your graduate nursing cirriculum?
Yes 51.3%
No 49.1%
24. Please estimate the total number of hours devoted to tobacco dependence in your graduate cirriculum:
More than 3 hours 8.2%
3 hours 16.4%
1 to 2 hours 44.8%
Less than 1 hour 30.6%
25. Do you smoke?
Yes 5.7%
No 94.3%
26. Are you a former smoker?
Yes 46.0%
No 54.0%
27. With respect to supporting psychiatric nurses' work with clients who are tobacco dependent, the role of APNA should include (check all that apply):
Assessment/intervention 74.6%
Consultation 62.6%
Networking 55.1%
Resource Provision 82.4%
Advocacy 68.6%
Research support 68.6%
Policy Development 5.7%
No role 0.9%
28. Are you an APNA member?
Yes 83.2%
No &n
