Primary Care Nurse Practitioners' Perceptions of the Use of E-Cigarettes

Abstract Research about e-cigarette use is emerging and there is no clear evidence about the effectiveness of their use in smoking cessation. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes of primary care nurse practitioners (NPs) toward e-cigarettes. A nonexperimental, descriptive study was conducted with primary care NPs (N = 93). Thirty-five percent of NPs believed that e-cigarettes were healthier than traditional cigarettes; 60% endorsed using them for cessation and 19% thought they were as effective as nicotine replacement therapies. Given NPs' varying opinions regarding the use of e-cigarettes, more education regarding evidence on e-cigarette health risks and limited cessation efficacy is necessary.