INTRODUCTION: Smoking is one of several well documented harmful agents that people voluntarily expose to. Nurses are considered by society as the authority in the field of health, what means that they should take advantage of their accomplishments and references in procedures concerned with prophylaxis and smoking habit treatment. For these reasons - nurses' attitude to smoking is so crucial. Solving the problem of smoking within this profession is important for both nurses and their patients. AIM: The aim of the research was the assessment of prevalence of smoking among the nurses from the Lodz district and the knowledge about harmfulness of smoking. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 74 respondents taken into account of nursing personnel: 73 female and 1 male. There was authors' questionnaire prepared for the study. RESULTS: Basing on the research - 40% of the nursing personnel were smokers. The majority of respondents (57%) smoke more than the half of pack of cigarettes and stress is the most common reason (47%). Currently smokers more often came from families where other members smoked cigarettes (63%). More than half of respondents (57%) do not mind smoking while their friends are in their own home. Studies showed that only 57 % smokers undertook attempts to stop smoking, mostly for health reason. Health and financial considerations were the cause of cessation of tobacco use by smokers in the past. CONCLUSION: Smoking by nursing personnel is wide. It is important to nursing personnel to be aware of the existence of the relationship between change in patient health behavior, and attitude of persons who learn them to live healthy. On the basis of self-knowledge regarding the scope of the harmful effects of smoking tobacco, the research showed that the level of knowledge had no significant effect on health behavior study of nursing personnel.
INTRODUCTION: Smoking is one of several well documented harmful agents that people voluntarily expose to. Nurses are considered by society as the authority in the field of health, what means that they should take advantage of their accomplishments and references in procedures concerned with prophylaxis and smoking habit treatment. For these reasons - nurses' attitude to smoking is so crucial. Solving the problem of smoking within this profession is important for both nurses and their patients. AIM: The aim of the research was the assessment of prevalence of smoking among the nurses from the Lodz district and the knowledge about harmfulness of smoking. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 74 respondents taken into account of nursing personnel: 73 female and 1 male. There was authors' questionnaire prepared for the study. RESULTS: Basing on the research - 40% of the nursing personnel were smokers. The majority of respondents (57%) smoke more than the half of pack of cigarettes and stress is the most common reason (47%). Currently smokers more often came from families where other members smoked cigarettes (63%). More than half of respondents (57%) do not mind smoking while their friends are in their own home. Studies showed that only 57 % smokers undertook attempts to stop smoking, mostly for health reason. Health and financial considerations were the cause of cessation of tobacco use by smokers in the past. CONCLUSION: Smoking by nursing personnel is wide. It is important to nursing personnel to be aware of the existence of the relationship between change in patient health behavior, and attitude of persons who learn them to live healthy. On the basis of self-knowledge regarding the scope of the harmful effects of smoking tobacco, the research showed that the level of knowledge had no significant effect on health behavior study of nursing personnel.