ATSU PA program leads innovative smoking cessation initiative
Posted: August 28, 2019
Students and faculty from A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences’ (ATSU-ASHS) Physician Assistant Studies (PA) program developed and led an innovative smoking cessation program at Crossroads rehabilitation facilities. Over a 14-week period, 15% of participants stopped smoking entirely, while 80% reported a significant decrease in their average daily use of cigarettes. The program was funded by a grant from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
Crossroads patients with a desire to reduce their nicotine dependence volunteered to participate in the program. They were then enrolled in nicotine-replacement therapy to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. PA students, who were trained in motivational interviewing and tobacco treatment options, met one-on-one with the patients regularly to provide encouragement and discuss patient goals. Progress was assessed weekly using the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence.
“Being able to participate in this project not only enhanced my knowledge of pharmacology and treatment plans for smoking cessation, but it gave me the opportunity to work on communication skills, such as motivational interviewing,” says Destinee Bowden, PA, ’20.
“The experience allowed students to understand and appreciate the complexity of behavior change and consider the patient’s values, beliefs, attitudes, social supports, and motivating factors in order to design individualized, patient-centered treatment plans that addressed the whole person,” says Annette Bettridge MS, PA-C, FNP, assistant professor at ATSU-ASHS. “The students were able to engage patients in verbal discussions using basic counseling skills and motivational interviewing skills to work with their patients collaboratively toward making healthy lifestyle and behavioral changes.”