Intentional Self-Care Activities Improve Health Behavior Scores for Nurses: A Qualitative Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Health Services Research
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Nursing professionals experience significant stressors impacting their well-being.
• Existing research on nursing wellness programs shows inconclusive results regarding cost-effectiveness and outcomes.
• There is a need to explore effective, potentially low-cost interventions to support nursing staff health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a brief, self-directed self-care intervention on the health-related quality of life for registered nurses (RNs).
• To assess changes in self-rated quality of life following a 2-week self-selected wellness activity.
• To provide evidence for the efficacy of autonomous motivation in nursing wellness.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, nonrandomized, interventional pilot study involving registered nurses (RNs) at a university hospital.
• Participants completed the RAND-36-item Short Form (RAND-36) at baseline and after a 2-week self-selected self-care activity.
• Data analysis compared pre- and post-intervention RAND-36 scores to evaluate changes in quality of life.

Main Results:

• A total of 121 RNs were enrolled, with 95 providing complete baseline and follow-up data.
• No significant change was observed in the physical health problems subscale.
• Statistically significant improvements were noted in physical functioning, pain, general health perceptions, energy/fatigue, social functioning, emotional health problems, and emotional well-being.

Conclusions:

• Self-selected wellness activities positively impacted nurses' quality of life, particularly in energy, social, and emotional domains.
• Short-term programs fostering autonomous motivation show promise as cost-effective wellness solutions for healthcare workers.
• Further research is recommended to assess the long-term impact and sustainability of these interventions.