Smoking poses a serious threat to global public health and significantly endangers individual well-being. Helping patients quit smoking is crucial for enhancing their overall health, and nurses play a vital role in guiding this process. Nevertheless, there remains limited investigation into the specific functions nurses perform in smoking cessation interventions for patients. This scoping review aimed to identify and outline the particular responsibilities undertaken by nurses in supporting patients to quit smoking, while also offering insights to inform the design of future nursing interventions in smoking cessation. The review followed the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and adopted the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) three-step strategy to carry out an extensive literature search. Studies were sourced from ten major databases—PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, OVID, PsycINFO, CNKI, Wan Fang, and the VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals—covering publications up to February 2024. Eligibility criteria were based on JBI’s structure, which involves participants, content, and context. Included studies were either randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental in design, involving nurse-led or nurse-supported smoking cessation interventions. Two reviewers independently conducted data extraction. The findings were synthesized and reported using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines.Out of the retrieved literature, 53 studies met the criteria for inclusion. The analysis revealed six primary functions that nurses performed within smoking cessation interventions: assessors, educators, practice facilitators, coordinators, organizers, and supervisors. Of these, the most prevalent roles were assessors, educators, and practice facilitators. Commonly used approaches included the motivational interview technique and the 5A method. Nurses engaged patients using various methods such as distributing educational pamphlets, providing in-person education, and offering direct cessation guidance. Most studies focused on patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nurses are integral to smoking cessation interventions, frequently taking on diverse and significant roles. Despite their central involvement, a notable shortcoming was the lack of structured pre-intervention training, emphasizing the importance of developing more comprehensive training programs to enhance the effectiveness of future nursing-led smoking cessation strategies.
