Nurses' Perceptions of Self as Role Models of Health

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Health Promotion

Background:

• Nurses play a crucial role in health promotion.
• Their personal health practices may influence their effectiveness as role models.
• Understanding this relationship is vital for improving public health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the link between nurses' personal health behaviors and their self-perception as health promotion role models.
• To assess how personal and professional factors influence nurses' role model perception and health practices.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 804 registered nurses in Tennessee.
• Data collected on personal health practices (smoking, alcohol, weight, diet, physical activity).
• Assessed self-perception as a role model for health promotion using the Self as a Role Model of Health Promotion (SARMHEP) scale.

Main Results:

• Significant correlations found between healthy diet/physical activity and SARMHEP scores.
• Nurses reporting healthy diets and physical activity had higher SARMHEP scores.
• Working in acute care/ambulatory settings negatively impacted SARMHEP scores, while older age and being male positively affected them.

Conclusions:

• Nurses' personal health practices are significantly associated with their perceived role as health promotion models.
• Age and sex positively influence nurses' self-perception as role models.
• Healthcare settings should support nurses' health to enhance their role modeling capabilities.