Regarding two June 4 articles “Mind, body, balance” and “Guiding nurses into mental health” (www.Nurse.com/Article/MindBody and www.Nurse.com/Article/MindGuidance): Individuals with mental illness die 15 to 25 years earlier than those without mental illness. This increase in mortality is caused primarily by tobacco-related illness. Forty-four percent of all cigarettes sold in the U.S. are sold to people with mental illness. Prevalence of smoking among people who suffer from bipolar disorder or schizophrenia is about 60% to 80%.
I appreciate how challenging it is to treat mentally ill patients in the ED. However, addressing their tobacco use in the ED provides the opportunity to achieve short and long-term goals. Immediately providing these patients with tobacco cessation medications in the ED will have a calming effect and reduce cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. In the long-term, assisting individuals with mental illness to quit will improve their physical health, decrease morbidity and mortality, and save them thousands of dollars. Nurses and nurse practitioners can lead the way in improving the health and well-being of this vulnerable population.
— Patricia Folan, RN, MS, Westbury, N.Y.
I appreciate how challenging it is to treat mentally ill patients in the ED. However, addressing their tobacco use in the ED provides the opportunity to achieve short and long-term goals. Immediately providing these patients with tobacco cessation medications in the ED will have a calming effect and reduce cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. In the long-term, assisting individuals with mental illness to quit will improve their physical health, decrease morbidity and mortality, and save them thousands of dollars. Nurses and nurse practitioners can lead the way in improving the health and well-being of this vulnerable population.
— Patricia Folan, RN, MS, Westbury, N.Y.
