Initiating change in a given sector requires a lot of planning and implementation of the plans. It is essential to plan for the resources required in the initiation and development of the change strategy. The resources required must also be managed for effective delivery of a chosen intervention. Managing resources require an input of stakeholders who are convinced and willing to assist in the delivery of the intervention. When identifying the stakeholders, it is crucial to inform them of the importance of a project to the targeted population. This would enable them to analyse the benefits of the project against any other disadvantages that may arise. This paper is set to develop a stakeholder education plan for the delivery of an intervention on counselling on smoking cessation.
In any intervention on cessation of smoking, there is a wide range of stakeholders who are always ready to assist in the achievement of a given objective (Shore, 2011). These stakeholders need to be identified and convinced of the importance of the intervention. It is essential to ensure that the stakeholders identified are relevant to the intervention. Additionally, the roles of the stakeholders, as well as their competencies, should also be clearly defined. Due to the large numbers of stakeholders that usually need engagement into such interventions, it is essential to analyse the list of prospective stakeholders to be involved.
Additionally, involving the stakeholders ensures that the level of transparency within the project is high (Perkins, Conklin, & Levine, 2008). This is important for credibility and integrity during the project implementation phase. Stakeholders are regarded as individuals or groups with an interest in the processes and results of a given intervention. It is essential to note that it is not possible to involve all stakeholders in the implementation phase of the project. In the health care setting, stakeholders may include patients, clinicians, caregivers, counsellors, professional societies, policymakers, public health officials, and businesses related to the intervention. All these stakeholders have a legitimate interest in involvement into projects (Shore, 2011).
However, each stakeholder has distinct and valuable roles to the project. In selecting stakeholder, it is essential to analyse its influence. Stakeholders with greater influences within a given society can assist in the effective delivery of the project. The influence of a given stakeholder depends on the power and interest of the stakeholders. Stakeholders who possess greater powers, as well as interest in the given field should be given priority over the other stakeholders (Perkins, Conklin, & Levine, 2008). It is advantageous to have a manageable number of stakeholders within a particular project.
Smokers as Stakeholders
Smokers are regarded as primary beneficiaries since the intervention is aimed at changing their behaviours. It is crucial to involve the stakeholders in the intervention since their change in behaviour determines the success of the intervention (Maville & Huerta, 2012). The interests of this group should be given highest priority due to their level of the intervention. They are essential in all the activities involved in the intervention. Their experiences with smoking as well as attempted cessation are vital to the intervention. They can narrate their struggle with the habit to non-smokers who are contemplating indulging in the particular behaviour. This can lead to behaviour change.
The smokers can also act as messengers to other smokers. It is challenging for smokers to accept being involved in the intervention. The few smokers who register into the intervention can be used to attract others into the project. This can be done by visiting their previous smoking areas and convincing their fellow smokers on the importance of the interventions (Sidani & Braden, 2011). It is essential to ensure that the behaviour changes of the messengers are visible. Most smokers believe in interventions whose transformations are clear and can be seen. Additionally, they may act as leaders to the support groups whose main aim is to ensure that individuals do not backslide into their previous unhealthy behaviours.
Educating the stakeholders on various issues concerning the intervention is essential in ensuring its effectiveness. The smokers should be given adequate information on the effects of smoking as well as the benefits of early cessation to the beginners. This would allow them to make proper decisions based on their knowledge of the effects of smoking. Most of the individuals who smoke engage in the behaviour due to their possession of inadequate knowledge on its effects (Maville & Huerta, 2012). They can also be taught on the laws that govern smoking in public places. It is not recommended for an individual to smoke in a public place in some countries. This can help in the dissemination of information to avoid partial smoking. This can also assist smokers who are slowly changing their behaviours to be aware of legal implications of their smoking habits.
Health Care Researchers and Research Institutions
The health care researchers, as well as research institutions, play a crucial role as stakeholders. Their primary purpose is to gather information on the progress of the project (Jordan & Turnpenny, 2015). Through the collected information, they rate the success of the business. This enables the managers to keep track on the operations of the interventions. It can also enable the managers to check any deviation in the achievement of the objectives. These stakeholders should be educated on matters concerning the legal, socio-economic, as well as the political environment. Research involves ethical issues that must be addressed by the researcher, the project managers, as well as the boards that deal with ethics.
Policy Makers
The policy makers have lots of influence on the success of a given intervention. They influence the policies made in all sectors including the health sector. Therefore, it is crucial to inform them on the operations and objectives of the project. They depend on evidence-based intervention in making health care decisions (Sidani & Braden, 2011). These can help them in designing other health programs and policies that can enhance the success of the intervention. Informed policy-making is the core to advocacy as well as the implementation of public health programs. Their educational needs should involve briefing on the resources and expectation on the intervention. This is essential since most of the policies are formulated depending on the size of the organisations. Small-scale interventions utilise policy frameworks that favour their financial bases.
The Businesses
Certain businesses are regarded as stakeholders in a cessation of tobacco interventions. These include the tobacco producers and insurance companies. During such an intervention, the tobacco producers can assist in reducing the amount of addictive (nicotine) substance in tobacco (Jordan & Turnpenny, 2015). This can help the addicted to reduce the amount of tobacco used in a single day. Besides, the health insurance companies are an essential part of the stakeholders. Since they pay for the treatment of their clients affected by tobacco, it is essential to involve them in the intervention. Through raising their premiums on diseases related to smoking, individuals will be discouraged from smoking.
Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks
These important tools assist in the development and success of a given intervention. The intervention operates on assumptions based on certain theories. Proper selection of a good theoretical and conceptual framework is an essential part of understanding the purpose, questions for research, as well as the significance of the intervention (Pratkanis, 2011). The theoretical foundation of the CSP intervention is based on social influence theory that uses stakeholders such as the smokers, business leaders, as well as policy makers. Social interactions have the potential to impact on the behaviours of certain individuals. Smokers usually cluster in groups. These groups are an essential element in the use of social influence theory. Interventions that focus on the education of each smoker have not been successful. Therefore, the use of social influence theory can potentially assist in smoking cessation. The smokers should be trained after identification so that they pass the message to their previous smoking groups. It is assumed that once the past smokers change their behaviours, their peers and friends will follow suit.
The use of stakeholders (smokers) is informed by adopting evidence-based practices (Pratkanis, 2011). The social influence theory suggests that once the smokers diffuse into the societies, they would be able to influence other individuals into changing their behaviours. The smokers are also regarded to be highly knowledgeable on matters concerning smoking and its effects. Their peers, as well as the group members, view them as essential sources of information. Therefore, they can convince them on the positive results that come with cessation of smoking.
The conceptual framework is essential in the application of educational concepts in solving public health issues (Maville & Huerta, 2012). For a particular research to be put into practice, it is essential to understand the conceptual framework. The intervention will adapt the ecological model that builds a connection between individuals and their environment. A triad is constructed showing the relationship between the individual, environment, and the change agent using these components. When applied to smoking cessation, it emphasises on how an individual's smoking behaviour can be influenced by social relationships as well as environmental conditions including policy changes.
In the smoking cessation intervention, the host is the tobacco user, while the agent is the tobacco or the tobacco industry (Maville & Huerta, 2012). The environment involves the physical, economic, and social settings of the smoker. There should be the provision of clinics for tobacco cessation as well as addiction aids to cut the link between the host (smoker) and the agent (tobacco). Laws prohibiting smoking in public places should be enacted to ensure the environment is safe from tobacco smoke. The current investigations do not clearly highlight these issues. Therefore, the framework gives the chance to relate the theories and reality.
In summary, planning and implementation of evidence-based interventions is a complex process that requires the involvement of stakeholders. The stakeholders are a crucial component in the delivery of the intervention. They have to be informed of the benefits of the interventions as well as the progress during the implementation phase. If the stakeholders are not incorporated into the intervention, the project may not be successful.
References
Jordan, A. J., & Turnpenny, J. R. (2015). The Tools of Policy Formulation: Actors, Capacities, Venues and Effects. Camberley: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Maville, J. A., & Huerta, C. G. (2012). Health promotion in nursing. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Perkins, K. A., Conklin, C. A., & Levine, M. D. (2008). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for smoking cessation: a practical guidebook to the most effective treatments. Oxfordshire United: Taylor & Francis
Pratkanis, A. R. (2011). The science of social influence: Advances and future progress. Oxfordshire United: Psychology Press.
Shore, D. A. (2011). High stakes: The critical role of stakeholders in health care. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Sidani, S., & Braden, C. J. (2011). Design, evaluation, and translation of nursing interventions. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
