A Curriculum of Tobacco and Nicotine Dependence Treatment for DNP Programs: A Summary of Bhattarai's 2023 Practice-Improvement Project

Abstract

This tool is a brief summary of Bhattarai’s 2023 practice- improvement project improving tobacco and nicotine dependence treatment curriculum in North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) Doctor of Nursing Practice-Family Nurse Practitioner program. This tool is intended as a guide for educational institutions or providers to incorporate into their curriculums to improve provider competencies and patient outcomes. Few providers assess, refer, and provide treatment to the patient consistently and effectively. Lack of skills, training, and inadequate knowledge were identified as barriers why providers were not providing regular counseling or pharmacologic intervention. Therefore, incorporating formal tobacco and nicotine treatment education into the curriculum of DNP programs is imperative to curb tobacco epidemic. After completion of the intervention, significant increases in students’ knowledge, confidence, and comfort were observed in helping patients quit, in providing information about cessation medications, programs and services, and in making referrals for tobacco and nicotine dependence treatment.