Healthy Excuses and the Need for More Research Joyce J. Fitzpatrick PII: DOI: Reference:
S0897-1897(14)00081-0 doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2014.05.001 YAPNR 50574
To appear in:
Applied Nursing Research
Received date: Accepted date:
30 April 2014 1 May 2014
Please cite this article as: Fitzpatrick, J.J., Healthy Excuses and the Need for More Research, Applied Nursing Research (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2014.05.001
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Healthy Excuses and the Need for More Research
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You may all know that as a group nurses are less healthy than our counterparts. We often have many excuses, long work hours, shift work, heavy patient loads, demanding work environments, and, of course, all of our family responsibilities. When I initially read the Newswise (2014) report of billions of excuses for being unfit, I was delighted to find something else to blame…unfortunately it is my own DNA according to the researchers who originally published their results in Science.
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Recently the American Nurses Association launched the HealthyNurse™ project to counter some of the health challenges that nurses face. ANA defines a healthy nurse as one who actively focuses on creating and maintaining a balance and synergy of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, personal and professional wellbeing. A healthy nurse lives life to the fullest capacity, across the wellness/illness continuum, as they become stronger role models, advocates, and educators, personally, for their families, their communities and work environments, and ultimately for their patients (American Nurses Association, 2014).
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More importantly as researchers it is time to expand our research on healthy nurses and linkages between nurses health behavior and patient care. Not only must we practice what we preach about health promotion and risk reduction, we must lead through example as professional nurses. In a recent study of nurses teaching of patient exercise, we found that nurses who engage in regular exercise are more likely to recommend and teach exercise to their patients (Esposito & Fitzpatrick, 2011). The public and our patients notice our health behavior and are more likely to listen to our advice if it fits who we are as healthy nurses. There are nursing research initiatives that have been launched to address nurse fatigue and patient safety (Olds & Clarke, 2010; Scott et al, 2006).
AC
While browsing the literature recently I came across a quote from Nightingale that might be taken to heart by nurses today: “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuses”. For nurses who are serious about their own health and committed to enhancing the health and wellness of others in their communities, it is time to give up our excuses. For nurse researchers it is time to address the issues both in relation to nurses’ behavior and also programs to address workplace health. Joyce J. Fitzpatrick, Editor References American Nurses Association. (2014). Retrieved April 28, 201 from http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/WorkplaceSafety/Healthy-Nurse Esposito, E., & Fitzpatrick, J. J. (2011). Registered nurses’ beliefs of the benefits of exercise, their exercise behavior and their patient teaching regarding exercise. International Journal of Nursing Practice; 17: 351–356. Newswise. (2014). You may have billions and billions of good reasons for being unfit. Newswise. Retrieved April 28, 2014 from http://www.newswixe/articles/you-may-have-billions-and-billions-ofgood-reasons-for-being-unfit
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Olds, D. M., & Clarke, S. P. (2010). The effect of work hours on adverse events and errors in health care. Journal of Safety Research, 41(2), 153–162
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Scott, L., Rogers, A., Hwang, W. T., et al. (2006). The effects of critical care nurse work hours on vigilance and patient safety. Journal of Critical Care Nursing,15(4):30–7.
S0897-1897(14)00081-0 doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2014.05.001 YAPNR 50574
To appear in:
Applied Nursing Research
Received date: Accepted date:
30 April 2014 1 May 2014
Please cite this article as: Fitzpatrick, J.J., Healthy Excuses and the Need for More Research, Applied Nursing Research (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2014.05.001
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Healthy Excuses and the Need for More Research
RI P
T
You may all know that as a group nurses are less healthy than our counterparts. We often have many excuses, long work hours, shift work, heavy patient loads, demanding work environments, and, of course, all of our family responsibilities. When I initially read the Newswise (2014) report of billions of excuses for being unfit, I was delighted to find something else to blame…unfortunately it is my own DNA according to the researchers who originally published their results in Science.
MA
NU
SC
Recently the American Nurses Association launched the HealthyNurse™ project to counter some of the health challenges that nurses face. ANA defines a healthy nurse as one who actively focuses on creating and maintaining a balance and synergy of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, personal and professional wellbeing. A healthy nurse lives life to the fullest capacity, across the wellness/illness continuum, as they become stronger role models, advocates, and educators, personally, for their families, their communities and work environments, and ultimately for their patients (American Nurses Association, 2014).
CE
PT
ED
More importantly as researchers it is time to expand our research on healthy nurses and linkages between nurses health behavior and patient care. Not only must we practice what we preach about health promotion and risk reduction, we must lead through example as professional nurses. In a recent study of nurses teaching of patient exercise, we found that nurses who engage in regular exercise are more likely to recommend and teach exercise to their patients (Esposito & Fitzpatrick, 2011). The public and our patients notice our health behavior and are more likely to listen to our advice if it fits who we are as healthy nurses. There are nursing research initiatives that have been launched to address nurse fatigue and patient safety (Olds & Clarke, 2010; Scott et al, 2006).
AC
While browsing the literature recently I came across a quote from Nightingale that might be taken to heart by nurses today: “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuses”. For nurses who are serious about their own health and committed to enhancing the health and wellness of others in their communities, it is time to give up our excuses. For nurse researchers it is time to address the issues both in relation to nurses’ behavior and also programs to address workplace health. Joyce J. Fitzpatrick, Editor References American Nurses Association. (2014). Retrieved April 28, 201 from http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/WorkplaceSafety/Healthy-Nurse Esposito, E., & Fitzpatrick, J. J. (2011). Registered nurses’ beliefs of the benefits of exercise, their exercise behavior and their patient teaching regarding exercise. International Journal of Nursing Practice; 17: 351–356. Newswise. (2014). You may have billions and billions of good reasons for being unfit. Newswise. Retrieved April 28, 2014 from http://www.newswixe/articles/you-may-have-billions-and-billions-ofgood-reasons-for-being-unfit
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Olds, D. M., & Clarke, S. P. (2010). The effect of work hours on adverse events and errors in health care. Journal of Safety Research, 41(2), 153–162
AC
CE
PT
ED
MA
NU
SC
RI P
T
Scott, L., Rogers, A., Hwang, W. T., et al. (2006). The effects of critical care nurse work hours on vigilance and patient safety. Journal of Critical Care Nursing,15(4):30–7.
