2023-05-09 11:03:06
‘Ensure support and communicate positively’
An interview with pulmonologist Harry Pouwels
Every year on May 31 is the ‘World No Smoking Day’. Reason to talk to pulmonologist Harry Pouwels about smoke-free care. Pouwels has been working at the VieCuri Medical Center in Venlo for over 32 years. His enthusiasm for non-smoking is not limited to making hospitals smoke-free. Also in the municipality of Venlo and as ambassador of the Smoke-Free Generation Campaign he is committed to quitting smoking.
Pouwels has been committed to a smoke-free hospital for years, and with success: “When you enter VieCuri, you see the well-known smoke-free signs everywhere. There is no smoking area on the outside area. All the facilities you need as a smoker have been removed. Incidentally, there are places where people still smoke. Like at our emergency room, a stressful environment where visitors quickly reach for a cigarette. If a visitor does light up a cigarette, there is a good chance that a security guard will address the smoker in a positive way. Pouwels: “We don’t ban smoking itself, after all, that’s up to the person themselves, but ask to stand a little further outside the site. That is the opening for a conversation. You will then receive a reusable hand ashtray with a flyer with help options to quit. In this way we offer a helping hand to keep the environment clean. And we offer to help people to stop smoking. We recognize that quitting smoking is difficult, and we understand that.”
Poli Quit smoking
In addition to these adjustments that fit a smoke-free hospital, you will find the Policy ‘Stop smoking’. A specially equipped clinic for patients who have been referred by pulmonologists or other specialists with the aim of quitting smoking. After an extensive lung examination by a lung nurse, you will receive individual or group guidance under the supervision of a specialized coach. Pouwels: “The chance of success through this outpatient clinic is many times greater than when you try to stop on your own.”
Becoming smoke-free, how do you do that?
The smoke-free care scan that the NVZ carried out in 2022 shows that 80% of the healthcare institutions surveyed are smoke-free. This is an increase of 15% compared to the previous year. A good result, but that means that there are still institutions that are not smoke-free.
How do you get everyone on the same page within the hospital? Pouwels is very clear about this: “Provide support by organizing several non-binding meetings for employees about what smoking does to you. Not only for healthcare providers, but for all staff. And communicate in a positive way from the bottom up. It is important that smokers make the choice themselves, then it works best.” The well-attended meetings were followed by a survey with questions such as ‘how much do you smoke’ and ‘how do you feel about a smoke-free hospital’. Pouwels: “Most of the respondents agreed with a smoke-free hospital and premises.”
Smoke free is always a theme
“What every healthcare institution must realize is that making an institution smoke-free does not happen overnight, creating support really takes a lot of time. And for continuity it is important that there is a core team that keeps the problem in the spotlight in a positive way. You must also continue to provide this information to smoking new employees. Smoke-free should always remain a theme.”
Institutions with residents
Making psychiatric institutions smoke-free, with not only patients but also residents, is of course a different story, says Pouwels: “A lot still needs to be done here. I don’t know if that’s always feasible, but we have to take on the challenge. Continue to communicate positively, do not work with commandments and prohibitions. The choice must be made by the residents themselves, only then will there be a chance of success.” Nicotine lowers stress, but also promotes instability. Pouwels: “You help them by reducing stress in a different way, namely by exercising. The brain can only do one thing at a time, so literally getting moving helps!”
Stress stimulates smoking behavior
In the context of a smoke-free hospital, after his regular consultation hours with patients, Pouwels makes time to talk to colleagues who want to stop smoking. The average number of quit attempts by smokers is 7 times. Stress is one of the main causes of smoking. Pouwels: “A life without stress simply does not exist. How do you deal with that as a smoker?” Pouwels talks about this with his colleagues. If he has to prescribe medication, this has been reimbursed by the hospital for 3 years. And it works: “I regularly get a thumbs up when I run into a colleague who has visited me.”
For background information, news and documents for healthcare professionals see Prevention – Smoke-Free Care | NVZ Knowledge Network
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