E-Cigarette and Vaping Perspectives: Recommendations for Occupational Health Nurses

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health Policy
• Tobacco Control

Background:

• E-cigarette, vaping, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use is rising, with limited safety data.
• Workplace smoking bans often do not encompass e-cigarette products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess occupational health professionals' (OHPs) knowledge of e-cigarettes, vaping, and ENDS.
• To evaluate OHPs' capacity to influence tobacco-free workplace policies regarding ENDS.

Main Methods:

• An IRB-approved, cross-sectional study utilizing a 91-item electronic survey.
• Survey distributed to 3248 members of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.
• 230 completed surveys analyzed for knowledge, attitudes, and leadership perceptions.

Main Results:

• Advanced education correlated with higher attitude toward change scores (p=.043).
• Fewer years of practice correlated with lower transformational leadership scores (p=.039).
• 40% were unsure about existing e-cigarette policies; 90% perceived leader interest in safety.

Conclusions:

• OHPs recognize e-cigarette health risks and are open to policy inclusion.
• Implementation requires further education, managerial support, and employee buy-in.
• OHPs can lead organizational change for vaping cessation and worker health promotion.