Collaborative practice is essential to improve the health of our community. Nursing faculty identified a common health issue that affects our vulnerable youth populations.... Vaping. Electronic cigarettes (E-Cigs) or vaping has become prevalent in society with marketing and packaging designed to entice adolescents to engage in this risky behavior. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) adolescents who partake in vaping or using other forms of electronic cigarettes are more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future (CDC, 2018).
Methods:
In consideration of health promotion and improving the wellbeing of our citizenry, nurses are at the forefront to provide education and lobby legislation to improve the health of our community. Utilizing input from Respiratory therapy colleagues and faculty collaboration of two senior level nursing courses, community nursing and health policy, faculty, students, and community leaders came together to address the vaping epidemic by providing peer education, focused interventions, alternatives to vaping, and gaining legislative support to impact accessibility and marketing of materials.
Results:
Audiences impacted were vulnerable inner-city youth, middle school educators, legislators, and the nursing students participating in one or both events (teaching and lobbying). Pre and Post tests were provided to inner city youth regarding their knowledge of vaping. These results indicated that the teaching program was effective in delivering the message to youth regarding education on the dangers of vaping,
Conclusion:
The combined efforts by utilizing multidisciplinary experts and through the integration of two separate courses to promote wellness were highly successful in both the education of inner-city youth and impacting legislative changes. In looking to more than one outreach program against vaping, we brought awareness and a call to action in a myriad of ways. Working together for a common cause allows all involved to experience the full effect of seeing a project from start to fruition with the realization that we, together, can make a difference.