The trend of electronic cigarette usage among adolescent has increased in the recent era that contains nicotine and other tobacco products. The health care providers and pediatric nurses should be aware of the popularity and safety concern of the cigarette. They deliver the sufficient information to the patient and their family about the possible negative health effects of electronic cigarette.
Education about electronic cigarette
There are limited researches about negative health effects of e-cigarettes in the adolescent. From the evidences, it is found that the registered nurses have provided insufficient education about risks and undesirable effects of the cigarette. They have less education about electronic cigarettes hence, more information is required for increasing the awareness in teenagers and their families. The adolescent and their families are less aware of risks versus benefits of e-cigarettes due to limited research and narrow awareness among RN. The potential risks are mostly unknown that increased popularity of e-cigarettes among youngsters. Due to limited research the registered nurses (RN) are less responsible for increasing the awareness about popularity and safety concerns of electronic cigarettes. They are failed to provide to provide the complete education to the patient and their family .
The RN have not delivered the proper information about negative health impacts of adolescent e-cigarette user. They have arranged less awareness program in the public. The e-cigarette use has increased in the youngster, and it is found that high school and middle school student are reported in using an electronic cigarette. The research indicates that the significant knowledge about e-cigarettes is found among young people (Abo-Elkheir & Eman, 2016).
American heart association has developed different approaches to reduce the use of e-cigarettes. It has issued new policy recommendations to guide the cigarette smokers and their family about e-cigarettes contribution in cardiovascular diseases. It has informed that e-cigarettes that contain nicotine that generated health problems. It has used different approaches to prevent tobacco industry and its access, sales, and marketing. It has influenced RN to deliver education about risks of e-cigarettes to the patients and family.
The policy has recommended a ban on e-cigarettes that increased nicotine addiction among adolescent. It increased popularity among young people due to easily accessibility, high technology, and convenient. The Food and Drug Administration has proposed strong policies and recommends strict laws that reduce the advertising and marketing of e-cigarette. The e-cigarette is more famous in the children and youngster due different flavors. The use of celebrities in advertising has attracted the young people to use e-cigarette. American Heart Association should improve its policies and implement it to reduce the use of an e-cigarette in an adolescent.
The risks vs. benefits of e-cigarettes
The risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) are commonly associated with the cigarette smoking. Smoking can cause major health problems, and it mostly affects the lungs. It can damage the lungs and generate other cardiovascular diseases. It contains nicotine and others very harmful chemicals that can affect the health of smoker and nonsmoker. There are potential negative health effects with e-cigarette usage, however, it is also a healthier and safer choice as compared to other conventional tobacco cigarettes. It is important to warn adolescents and their parents about negative health effects of e-cigarette use. It is believed that the e-cigarettes are safer product and less harmful than traditional cigarettes. It can be used in the non-smoking areas that attracted the young people to use e-cigarette (Abo-Elkheir & Eman, 2016).
The nurses should arrange well-child visits to review the health risk behaviors and deliver anticipatory guidance about the safety, high-risk behaviors, and potential health risks of e-cigarettes. They need to impact policies regarding the cigarette use in public places, offices, and schools. The RN should improve information about the health impact of e- cigarette among the patient and family.
References
Abo-Elkheir, O. I., & Eman, S. (2016). Knowledge about electronic cigarettes and its perception: a community survey, Egypt. US National Library of Medicine.
American Heart Association. (2014). American Heart Association Issues E-Cigarette Recommendations. Retrieved from http://newsroom.heart.org/news/american-heart-association-issues-e-cigarette-recommendations
Johnson, M., & Pennington, N. (2014). Adolescent Use of Electronic Cigarettes: An Emergent Health Concern for Pediatric Nurses. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 30, 611–615.
