Relationship between shift-work and life-style behaviors among emergency department nurses in Jordan

Shift-work can alter the nurses' lifestyle behaviors, which negatively influence health. This study is purposed to assess the relationship between shift-work and selected lifestyle behaviors including, dietary habits, physical activity, and nicotine dependence among Jordanian nurses who work at the emergency department. A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was used. A total of 275 Jordanian nurses from the emergency department of Jordanian hospitals participated in the questionnaire. The results showed that 50.2% of the nurses suffered from poor dietary habits, 81.8% of them were physically inactive, and 65.1% had nicotine dependence. There was a positive correlation between shift-work, dietary habits, physical activity, and nicotine dependence. Therefore, the effects of shift-work should be considered when planning and developing interventional programs to enhance nurses' health and promote healthy behaviors among nurses workforce during shift-work.