Great Question.  Albuterol and Xopenex are both medicines meant to treat a common symptoms of asthma:  bronchospasm.  As the airways of asthmatics are exposed to common asthma triggers, they constrict and narrow which cause wheezing, air trapping, and coughing. 

Some doctors, however, like to use these common bronchodilators as preventative medicines.  The theory here is if you have a bronchodilator in your system before you are exposed to a trigger ( in your case your trigger may be smoke), you will not have asthma symptoms.  Some asthmatics use Xopenex and Albuterol in this way to prevent exercise induced asthma.

My recommendation to you is to try what your NP recommends and see if it works.  Give it a fair shot.  If that's all you need to control your asthma, then great.

However, if after a few days of trying this you find you are still having asthma symptoms, don't be afraid to call your doctor (or NP), to inform her that what she recommended is not working.  I'm certain she will have other options for you to try.

Other options may include preventative medicines such as Advair and Symbicort, but may also include various other controller meds such as Azmacort, Vanceril, Flovent, etc. 

If hope this helps.  If you have any further questions let us know.  Keep in touch and let us know how things turn out for you.