Medical Student INtervention to Promote Effective Nicotine Dependence and Tobacco HEalthcare

Medical Student INtervention to Promote Effective Nicotine Dependence and Tobacco HEalthcare: GrAduate Entry Programme (MIND-THE-GAP) Feasibility Randomised Trial

Background: Smoking counselling during hospitalisation with post-discharge follow-up increases quitting. However, provision of cessation care for hospitalised patients is suboptimal. Students are potentially an untapped resource for providing cessation advice, but no studies have investigated this.

Aim: To determine if medical students can encourage motivation to stop smoking (MTSS; primary outcome) in hospitalised smokers .

Design: 2-arm RCT Setting: RCSI (www.rcsi.ie) and Connolly Hospital (www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/3/hospitals/Connolly/).

Participants: Inpatient smokers. Intervention and procedures: 60 graduate medical students will receive standardised motivational interviewing training in the provision of cessation advice. Each student will be randomly assigned to counsel ~1-3 smokers each, including an individual in-hospital, face-to-face session and post-discharge phone counselling. Training and implementation will cover Sept-2015-May-2016. Smokers will be randomised to 'usual care' (n~90), or intervention (n~90, student-delivered motivational interviewing). A researcher will enable recruitment and follow-up, and conduct a qualitative evaluation of programme participants.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All identified inpatient smokers at Connolly Hospital.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Advised by ward manager that patient is too unwell or cognitively impaired, or otherwise unsuitable;
• Death during hospitalisation;
• Receiving palliative care;
• Under 18 years of age;
• To be transferred to another hospital;
• Not English speaking;
• Refusal to participate;
• Inpatient in psychiatric ward