Empowering adolescents with asthma to take control through adaptation

Clinical nurse specialists, family nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, and pediatric nurses in schools, primary practice settings, and the emergency department are at the front line of caring for adolescents with asthma. By empowering adolescents, these health care professionals can reduce the cost of health care and morbidity for these patients. The purposes of this article are (a) to discuss adolescence and powerlessness and (b) to identify nursing interventions that can empower adolescents to adapt behaviors that will enhance the prevention of acute attacks and encourage preventive management of the disease process. The article will also discuss current nursing strategies used with adolescents to promote feelings of power and control of medications and treatment based on current national guidelines and the Roy adaptation model.