Smoking cessation

A person touching a plaster on their arm
Increase your understanding of the effects of smoking, the positive impacts on the body from stopping smoking, and how nurses and all health care practitioners can have a role in supporting people to stop smoking.

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Resource
Available to RCN members

Who is this resource for?

This resource is aimed at nurses across all settings and levels of practice, including students of health, social work and care professions.

What will this resource give me?

  • the importance of encouraging patients to stop smoking
  • effects of second-hand exposure to tobacco
  • smoking cessation as treatment in chronic disease management
  • how the body recovers when a person quits smoking
  • supporting patients who relapse while quitting smoking
  • use of nicotine replacement therapy and electronic nicotine delivery devices
  • information on the recommendation for and against e-cigarettes
  • the RCN’s role in supporting the lobbying on guidance on e-cigarettes
  • prescription medication to help with cravings
  • the ‘making every contact count’ approach to help people make positive changes
  • behaviour change technique and how it can be used for smokers
  • access to smoking cessation services and referral systems
  • information on national organisations and local support services.

Resource last reviewed

21 Aug 2022

The RCN delivers quality-assured and up-to-date resources for the nursing workforce. Reviewed annually in line with the RCN Quality Assurance policy, all RCN Learn resources meet the RCN’s Nine Quality Standards.