Health-enhancing behaviours of nurses in Poland and their association with shift work and age

Background

Deficiencies in terms of healthy lifestyle may exacerbate the negative characteristics of nursing work, especially those arising from shift work.

Aim

The purpose of the study was to examine the frequency of selected health-enhancing behaviours and abstinence from health-risk behaviours among Polish nurses considering their age and performance of shift work.

Methods

Cross-sectional survey; study conducted among 1107 nurses (female; average age: 43.2 ± 7.23; 73% working in shifts) who followed a specialty training programme. The data were collected in March–May 2016. An anonymous questionnaire with a Positive Health Behaviours Scale was used (4 subscales: nutrition, physical activity, relaxation and behaviours related to mental health, preventive behaviours). The impact of the age and shift work on the incidence of health-enhancing behaviours was assessed by linear regression.

Findings

Out of the 29 recommended health-enhancing behaviours only 3 were practised “always or almost always” by more than 50% of the respondents. The mean score in all subscales on a ten scale was 50 per 100. Most of the nurses (65–82%) abstained from health-risk behaviours. Shift work had a statistically significant negative impact in three domains: nutrition (β_stand. = ?0.065), relaxation and behaviours related to mental health (β_stand. = ?0.194) and preventive behaviours (β_stand. = ?0.092).

Conclusions

Deficiencies in terms of a healthy lifestyle (greater in nurses who worked in shifts) influence the health of the nurses, their performance of professional duties and their capacity for modelling of health enhancing behaviours in patients. Health promotion programmes should be introduced at healthcare institutions.