| Summary |
Nurses face multiple stressors on a daily basis and often report the greatest stress of all health care workers (Ilhan, Durukan, Taner, Maral, and Bumin, 2008). The negative impact of stress on patient and nurse health and safety is well established. This stress often stems from working long, unpredictable shifts and having multiple duties, conflicting job demands, and heavy workloads (Lim, Bogossian, and Ahern, 2010; Roberts, Grubb, and Grosch, 2012). The stress associated with the nursing profession can have a negative effect on the physical, mental, and occupational health of nurses. These stressors may increase obesity, fatigue, and back pain; decrease quality of life and satisfaction with life; and lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. Although physical activity has been found to be associated with health benefits among other populations, nurses typically have to overcome stressors that workers from other occupations may not face during a typical day. Because the stressors nurses face on a daily basis often affect their health and the care patients receive (Rogers, Hwang, Scott, Aiken, and Dinges, 2004), it is important for nurses to implement self-care techniques that will help lower their feelings of stress as they increase their time working in the nursing profession. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity levels and measures of physical, mental, and occupational health among nurses in eastern NC. Physical health was operationally defined as body mass index, aerobic fitness, fatigue, sleep quality, pain interference, and pain intensity. Mental health was operationally defined as stress, satisfaction with life, and quality of life. Occupational health was operationally defined as compassion fatigue and burnout. METHODS: Nurses (n = 62, 94% females) were assessed for physical activity via the Fitbit Flex activity tracker over a 7 day period and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Body mass index was measured by dividing weight (kg) by the participant's squared height (m). Each of the remaining measures of health were assessed via questionnaires. Pearson correlations were used to determine the relationship between physical activity and each of the measures of physical, mental, and occupational health. Participants were grouped based on their level of activity (i.e., met 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines or not) using the physical activity data recorded by the Fitbit. Pearson correlations were then used to examine the relationship between physical activity and each of the measures of health among each group. RESULTS: BMI was significantly correlated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (r = -.28, p [less than] .05), steps (r = -0.29, p [less than] .05), and vigorous intensity physical activity (r = -.32, p [less than] .01). Fatigue was significantly correlated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (r = -.27, p [less than] .05). Weak positive relationships were found between aerobic fitness and steps (r = .26, p [less than] .05), aerobic fitness and vigorous intensity physical activity (r = .26, p [less than] .05), and aerobic fitness and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (r = .27, p [less than] .05). Stress was significantly correlated with steps (r = -.27, p [less than ] .05), moderate intensity physical activity (r = -.25, p [less than] .05), and light intensity physical activity (r = -.40, p [less than] .001). A relationship was also found between mental health (i.e., quality of life and satisfaction with life) and light intensity physical activity (r = .40, p [less than] .001), moderate intensity physical activity (r = .30, p [less than] .05), and steps (r = .29, p [less than] .05). A weak relationship was found between high intensity physical activity and burnout (r = .23, p [less than] .001) and between steps and compassion fatigue (r = -.26, p [less than] .05). No significant relationships were found between physical activity and sleep quality, pain intensity, and pain interference. CONCLUSION: Stress is common among nurses, and it can have a negative impact on various aspects of a nurse's physical, mental, and occupational health as well as the quality of care patients receive (Rogers et al., 2004). For this reason, it is imperative that healthcare organizations find solutions to help lower the risk of stress and improve measures of health in this population. The results of this study suggest several health benefits associated with physical activity among nurses in Greenville, North Carolina. A physical activity intervention among nurses may be needed to fully see the effects of physical activity on physical, mental, and occupational health, and ultimately patient health and safety. |
