Assisting with tobacco cessation.

Tobacco use is the primary preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States today. The consequences of smoking are well documented, and it is the responsibility of every health care provider to routinely screen and offer treatment to their patients who smoke. Nurses are no exception; we are uniquely qualified to provide practical skills training to our patients. Irrefutable data exist that even 3 minutes of counseling can have a positive influence that moves the patient who smokes further along the continuum toward quitting. The treatment recommendations and strategies that will be discussed are found in the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research guideline entitled "Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence." The algorithm will be broken down into practical interview questions and activities that every nurse can implement with his or her patients, regardless of practice setting.