Developing a plan
with your client: 8 Steps

One of the most difficult components of counseling smokers during their quit attempt is responding to barriers and objections to a successful quit attempt.

Some potential barriers health care providers encounter with counseling clients on prenatal smoking cessation are:

Lack of adequate staff training about smoking cessation counseling

Lack of confidence to facilitate smoking cessation

Lack of time to spend one on one counseling a client

There is not a space on the vitals chart for tobacco use questions

Not every client is asked at every visit about her tobacco status

Some potential barriers clients encounter are:

Lifestyle is not conducive to change (alcoholism, and substance abuse may need to be addressed prior to smoking cessation)

Lack of knowledge and limited literacy skills

Fear of severe withdrawal symptoms

Mental health problems (anxiety, and depression)

Perceptions (they do not really desire to quit)

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