Health Workforce Smoking and Leadership

Health Workforce Smoking and Leadership

CEITC Indigenous Pre Conference WorkshopOceania 2011

Dr Heather Gifford

Nurses and smoking

• Where have we come from

• Where are we now

• Where might we head in the future

Where are we now ?

• Smoke free workplaces

• Ministers health targets

• Contemplating not employing health

professionals that smoke

• Cessation training /support for

employees

Smoke free workplaces

In the future, smoking could prevent a candidate getting a job

http://www.3news.co.nz/Auckland-DHB-could-nix-staff-smoking/

There is also help for staff to quit

So who’s still smoking in the health sector ?

• Nurses and Midwives 13.6 %

• Small numbers of medical 3.4% and

health therapy 5.7% professionals

• Māori nurses 30.7%

Impact of nurses smoking

• At risk of poorer health

•Suffer disapproval and misunderstanding of other non-smoking health professionals

•Find giving smoking prevention and cessation information harder

One good reasons to get nurses to quit

Because nurses and other health professionals are strongly positioned to influence wider whānau and Māori communities in their role as vital and trusted healthcare practitioners in a range of health care settings.

NZNO shows leadership and partners in research

• Industry led research• Smokers in the design seat• Tailored intervention for Māori • Māori led research • New knowledge about Māori nurses

and smoking

Contact Details

Dr Heather Giffordheather.whakauae@xtra.co.nz

www.whakauae.co.nz