Effectiveness of a Mobile Wellness Program for Nurses with Rotating Shifts during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot...

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Nurses on rotating shifts experienced reduced physical activity and poor sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Circadian rhythm disruption negatively impacted nurses' well-being and health behaviors.
• There was a need for effective interventions to support nurses' physical activity and sleep.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a mobile wellness program for nurses with rotating shifts.
• To assess the program's impact on daily steps, sleep quality, exercise self-efficacy, motivation, fatigue, and overall wellness.
• To provide evidence for digital health interventions in improving nurses' health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 nurses.
• The intervention group received a mobile wellness program including Fitbit use, Zoom exercise, and health coaching.
• The control group used a Fitbit for self-monitoring.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed significant improvements in daily steps (p=0.000).
• Significant differences were observed in subjective sleep quality, sleep disturbance, and daytime dysfunction (PSQI components).
• Exercise self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation for exercise, and wellness scores were significantly higher in the intervention group.

Conclusions:

• The mobile wellness program effectively enhanced physical activity and sleep quality in nurses with rotating shifts.
• Components included Fitbit, online exercise, mobile health coaching, and motivational messages.
• This study offers valuable insights into digital health strategies for improving nurses' well-being, particularly during public health crises.