HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stubbs, J. Articles by Garner, L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Stubbs, J. Articles by Garner, L.

Survey of staff attitudes to smoking in a large psychiatric hospital

Head of Pharmacy, St Andrew’s Hospital, Billing Road, Northampton NN15DG

Camilla Haw

Consultant Psychiatrist

Liz Garner

Clinical Pharmacist, St Andrew’s Hospital, Northampton

AIMS AND METHOD

The aim of this survey was to examine staff views on smoking at work in a large psychiatric hospital. A postal questionnaire was sent to all clinical staff (n=1471) asking about their smoking habits and attitudes to smoking at work.

RESULTS

The response rate was 40.7%. Overall, 22.0% of respondents were smokers, with unqualified nursing staff having the highest rate (31.0%). The majority of staff did not favour a total ban on smoking by staff, patients or visitors. Smoking habit and profession influenced responses. Smokers and nurses were more permissive in their attitude towards smoking on wards than nonsmokers and psychiatrists.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Implementation of the government’s recommendations on tobacco control in psychiatric units is likely to require considerable preparatory work with staff to ensure full compliance.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Smith and C. O'Callaghan Exploration of in-patient attitudes towards smoking within a large mental health trust Psychiatr. Bull., May 1, 2008; 32(5): 166 - 169. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Campion, K. Checinski, J. Nurse, and A. McNeill Smoking by people with mental illness and benefits of smoke-free mental health services Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., May 1, 2008; 14(3): 217 - 228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R. Smith and P. A. Leggat An international review of tobacco smoking research in the nursing profession, 1976-2006 Journal of Research in Nursing, March 1, 2007; 12(2): 165 - 181. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Jochelson Smoke-free legislation and mental health units: the challenges ahead The British Journal of Psychiatry, December 1, 2006; 189(6): 479 - 480. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. O'Gara and R. McIvor Smoke-free psychiatric services Psychiatr. Bull., July 1, 2006; 30(7): 241 - 242. [Full Text] [PDF]