Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death and disease
in the United States. Annually, it results in 440,000 deaths at
a cost of $157 billion and an estimated 5.6 million years of
life lost. Tobacco use not only increases the risk of lung and
other cancers and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases for
smokers. It raises these risks for nonsmokers as well through
exposure to secondhand smoke. Because of nurses’ important role
in smoking-cessation counseling, the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) published specific guidelines for
nurses in 2005. Much is known about effective strategies to
promote successful smoking cessation. Smoking-cessation
counseling is a core measure of quality for acute-care hospitals
for various diagnoses, including heart failure, myocardial
infarction, and pneumonia. Healthcare providers can increase the
chance that patients will quit smoking. Use of evidence-based
strategies is an expectation of good nursing care. To promote
successful cessation attempts for