Labibi, Saideh. Promoting physical activity among undergraduate nursing students during their medical-surgical rotation. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-23sw-j865
DescriptionPurpose: Poor physical activity can often lead to chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders. Busy lifestyles and high stress levels observed among undergraduate student nurses often lead to poor maintenance of one’s physical health. This apparent problem of weight gain within nursing academia prompts our exploration of potential quality improvement strategies to counter this issue in nursing health and society.
Methodology: This study aims to develop a self-care regimen that includes regular physical activity, establish the feasibility of such an intervention, and implement it among a small sample group of ten students enrolled in an RN program in New Jersey. The intervention will include periodic participant interviews, diary entries, and physical fitness measurement (weight, BMI, and waist circumference) over the course of a typical 12-week term.
Results: By the end of the study, using participant interviews as well as quantitative data, we will gain a more complete understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of officially promoting a physical fitness regimen as part of a student nurse’s coursework.
Implications for Practice: This evaluation will provide new perspective on the mental health benefits and drawbacks of taking time for promoted physical activity while enrolled in coursework and simultaneously occupied by all of life’s responsibilities. By potentially improving nurses’ physical and mental health, we can hope to also make an impact on people with whom they work everyday and the practice as a whole.