Smoking Cessation Assignment

Not Ready to Quit

(1) The two reasons the Pharmacist gave Mr. Reese for inquiring about his tobacco use were because they want to keep him as healthy as possible and also because cigarette smoke actually interacts with certain medications. (2) Women over 35 years of age using birth control and that smoke more than 15 cigarettes per day are at increased risk for stroke, heart attack, and getting blood clots. (3) Lilly is in the Preparation Stage of Change (Transtheoretical Model) regarding her smoking cessation because she plans on making change within the next month (around the time of her next refill). (4) The Pharmacist advised Lilly to stop herself and ask “Do I really want this?” the next time she is ready for a cigarette so that she doesn’t smoke absent-mindedly and she can become more aware of the routines and patterns of her smoking. This information can be used to put together a quitting plan when she is ready. (5) The “two parts” of smoking are the physical dependence on the nicotine as well as a habit. The two strategies the Pharmacist recommended to Jack for quitting are medication which will address the physical dependence and she also wants to enroll him in programs that will help combat the habit part of smoking.

Ready to Quit

(1) The risks to Ms. Dale postoperatively if she continues to smoke are problems with healing and decreased function of heart and lungs. (2) The phone number for the Quit-Line is 1-800-QUIT-NOW and is completely free. During a call to the Quit-Line you talk to a specialist who is trained to help people quit smoking. They take the time to understand your situation and work with you to devise a plan that’s right for you. They’ll also discuss medication options with you and maybe help you get the medications free of charge if you qualify. (3) Steve has had at least 2 heart attacks within the past few months. The Physician provides education to Steve to help with nicotine cravings. One thing he mentioned was using the patch and the lozenge together-- the patch will give a nice steady amount of nicotine to deal with withdrawal and the lozenge can be used as needed if urges occur. Research has shown that combining products is actually safe and effective, the FDA just hasn’t been asked to look into it yet which is why the packages tell you to not combine. He also mentioned that the nicotine didn’t cause heart problems, it was mainly the other chemicals in cigarettes like carbon monoxide which pushes oxygen out of the body. Steve might benefit from health coaching in addition to traditional patient education because the specialists and coaches can help him develop a quit plan that works for him instead of just relying on the patches. (4) Ray has tried ways in the past to quit smoking by trying the gum, the patch, the inhaler, some herbal stuff, and even a hypnotist. The name of the new medication that the RN recommends to Ray is Chantix which is an easy to use pill. (5) Smokeless tobacco affects oral health by causing halitosis, staining of teeth, gingival recession (loss of tissue covering the root of the tooth), bone attachment loss, dental caries, oral leukoplakia (soft tissue condition that develops white-colored patches or plaque), oral cancer, and pharyngeal cancer.