The Effects of Good Nutrition in Nursing
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Nursing
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Jessica Naber, RN, PhD; Lori Ballard, RN, MSN
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
ABSTRACT
Nurses are caregivers, lifesavers, cheerleaders, confidants, trusted resources, and more (Reed, 2014). Although nurses are educated caregivers, they sometimes forget the importance of self-care. Nurses have high prevalence's for obesity, poor eating habits, and insufficient physical activity and due to stress nurses tend to make unhealthy food choices. (Phiri, Draper, Lambert, & Kolbe-Alexander, 2014).
The purpose of this project is promoting self-care through good nutrition for nurses. The goal is for healthcare facilities to create a nutrition policy and incorporate more programs that will advocate for the health of nurses to the community. Many facilities have health programs but no policy to provide sustainability. Nola Pender’s Health Promotion Model was used as the theoretical framework to guide this research project.
Three critically appraised research articles were used to support this project. The results from this article proved that weight gain and living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and Type 2 diabetes are the main health concerns of nurses. Good nutrition and healthy lifestyle proved to reduce waist circumference, increased confidence levels, promote weight loss, increase self-efficacy and ultimately improved general health (Albert, Butler & Sorrell, 2014). It also proved that health programs implemented in hospital settings that promote nursing wellness of its nurses when are effective especially when associated with benefits. These programs are recommended in healthcare settings to improve the health of nurses.
In conclusion including policy and more focused health programs will improve the quality of life for employees and their families. It is important for the workplace to provide opportunities for employees to partake in healthy lifestyle because new work habits could translate to habits on non-work days (Albert et al., 2014).
Spring Scholars Week 2019 Event
Senior Nursing Poster Session
The Effects of Good Nutrition in Nursing
ABSTRACT
Nurses are caregivers, lifesavers, cheerleaders, confidants, trusted resources, and more (Reed, 2014). Although nurses are educated caregivers, they sometimes forget the importance of self-care. Nurses have high prevalence's for obesity, poor eating habits, and insufficient physical activity and due to stress nurses tend to make unhealthy food choices. (Phiri, Draper, Lambert, & Kolbe-Alexander, 2014).
The purpose of this project is promoting self-care through good nutrition for nurses. The goal is for healthcare facilities to create a nutrition policy and incorporate more programs that will advocate for the health of nurses to the community. Many facilities have health programs but no policy to provide sustainability. Nola Pender’s Health Promotion Model was used as the theoretical framework to guide this research project.
Three critically appraised research articles were used to support this project. The results from this article proved that weight gain and living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and Type 2 diabetes are the main health concerns of nurses. Good nutrition and healthy lifestyle proved to reduce waist circumference, increased confidence levels, promote weight loss, increase self-efficacy and ultimately improved general health (Albert, Butler & Sorrell, 2014). It also proved that health programs implemented in hospital settings that promote nursing wellness of its nurses when are effective especially when associated with benefits. These programs are recommended in healthcare settings to improve the health of nurses.
In conclusion including policy and more focused health programs will improve the quality of life for employees and their families. It is important for the workplace to provide opportunities for employees to partake in healthy lifestyle because new work habits could translate to habits on non-work days (Albert et al., 2014).