Are nurses unhealthy or is this just a negative stereotype? When an obviously overweight nurse enters a patient’s room, smelling as if they have just come back from a smoking break, it diminishes their reputation as a health professional. Was this person never educated about the consequences of bad health decisions?
ABC News recently reported, “Researchers at the University of Maryland’s School of Nursing found that 55 percent of the 2,103 female nurses they surveyed were obese, citing job stress and the effect on sleep of long, irregular work hours as the cause. The study, which measured obesity using estimates of body mass index, found that nursing schedules affected not only the health of the nurses but the quality of patient care.”
This is why the American Nurses Association started the HealthyNurse™ program. The program works to help nurses to balance intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional, social, personal and professional wellbeing.
How do you become a healthy nurse?
- Ensure you receive at least seven hours of sleep daily.
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, control snacking, and avoid stress eating.
- Begin a fitness routine that includes the three pillars: cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility.
- Stop Smoking. Remember, as a frontline health professional, you are a role model.
- Choose healthy alternatives for managing stress and fatigue.
- See your doctor for your regular physical.
Nurses have very busy schedules and often put others before themselves. They feel they either don’t have the time or are too tired to focus on their own health and fitness needs. They smoke and snack to deal with stress. However, your health is important. It is not just important to your patients and family, it is important to you.
Fitness does not mean hours in the gym. You can start with just 3 times a week for 30 minutes each. We can all find time for that. If you would like to talk more about becoming a healthy nurse or anything else, please contact Teri.
Teri
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