Smoking and vaping cessation training for healthcare workers

Structured training helps ensure practice remains aligned with current evidence and strengthens confidence in delivering brief, effective cessation conversations in busy clinical and community settings. 

Explore the range of smoking cessation training available for healthcare workers below.

Smoking and vaping cessation e-learning modules

The Cancer Institute NSW has released nine interactive e-learning modules on My Health Learning to support NSW Health staff to deliver smoking and vaping cessation advice.

These modules are evidence-based and designed to be practical and engaging. They include interactive questions, real-world scenarios, and activities that can be applied directly in clinical and community settings.

What you’ll learn

The modules will help you:

• Stay current with the latest evidence on smoking and vaping cessation
• Confidently apply the Ask, Advise, Help model in everyday practice
• Strengthen your skills in having brief, effective conversations to encourage people to quit
• Refer people to appropriate cessation support services such as Quitline, iCanQuit.com.au and Pave quit vaping app.

There is a general module on smoking and vaping cessation, as well as modules designed for specific settings such as cardiac care, cancer care and mental health.

Who should complete the modules

All NSW Health staff who interact or support people who smoke or vape are encouraged to complete them, including both clinical and non-clinical staff.

This includes:

• Nurses, doctors, allied health professionals (e.g. Social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists), peer workers and health promotion staff
• Staff working with priority populations, such as Aboriginal communities, young people, people living with mental illness, people with alcohol and other drug dependence, and people with chronic health conditions (including cardiac, respiratory conditions and cancer)
• Staff who prescribe medications for patients who smoke or vape.

How to access

Option 1: Log into My Health Learning and search “Brief smoking and vaping cessation advice”. From there you can complete the general course or select specialised modules relevant to your role and learning needs.
Option 2: Log into My Health Learning and search the course codes below:

For more information, contact: cinsw-prevention@health.nsw.gov.au

Statewide smoking cessation trainers

Trainers provide statewide face-to-face and free webinar-based smoking and vaping cessation training for health workers across NSW.
Training topics include:

• Smoking cessation in pregnancy workshop
• Smoking cessation training for clinicians working with priority populations
• Managing nicotine dependence in an inpatient setting
• E-cigarettes and vaping devices
• Nicotine replacement therapy
• Updates on prescription quit medicines.

For more information, visit Smoking Cessation Training - St Vincent's Hospital Sydney.

Tools for health professionals

NSW Health website has information on guidance, clinical tools, and resources to support health workers to routinely identify, manage, and support people who smoke or vape to quit.

Quit Centre (Cancer Council Victoria)

The National Quit Training and Resource Centre (Quit Centre) provides best-practice support for health professionals across Australia.

Quit Centre offers: 

• Online training 
• Education and events
• Clinical resources and guidance