SMOKING STATUS, HEALTH BELIEFS AND THOUGHTS ABOUT SMOKING OF NURSES IN AN ONCOLOGY HOSPITAL

Purpose: Few studies are available that evaluate oncology nurses' health beliefs related to smoking and smoking status. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health beliefs regarding smoking among nurses and status working in a cancer hospital. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among 152 nurses in a cancer hospital in Turkey. Data were collected by using The Self-Report Questionnaire Regarding Health Beliefs and Smoking Cessation Self-Efficacy Questionnaire Results: Median age, body mass index, and working duration with cancer patients of the oncology nurses are 34.0, 23.9, and 9.0, respectively. Of the nurses, 54.1% stated that they have never smoked, while 27% smoke every day. Among regular smokers, 32.1% are in precontemplation stage. Of the participants, 91.9% noted that 'smokers are more likely to have cancer, 45.9% that 'it is difficult for smokers to quit smoking, and 52.3% that 'tobacco bans are effective on quitting smoking. Conclusion: The majority of oncology nurses think that a healthy lifestyle is very important but a few of them follow the advice. Also even though the nurses mostly have healthy living beliefs they can't reflect these on their behaviors. Nurses working with cancer patients must also be considered as risk groups when planning cancer prevention and tobacco control studies. It is important that nurses should be informed and supported to take part in smoking cessation interventions.