Physical Activity of Workers in a Hospital

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the physical activity of healthcare personnel and the affecting factors of physical activity (PA) in a hospital using an accelerometer device (Actigraph wGT3X-BT). Method: A total of 63 subjects (22 physicians, 19 nurses, and 23 supporting staff) participated and wore an accelerometer for seven days. Among the outputs, the mean counts for a minute, time spent for light, moderate, and vigorous intensity PA, and step count were extracted. As a secondary study, 16 subjects continued for one more week after feedback on their PA of the previous week and counseling to encourage PA. Result: Most of (62/63) the participants fulfilled the recommended amount of PA, which is more than 300 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Physicians showed significantly less PA than nurses or supporting staffs: Mean counts per minute (210.4 vs. 476.0 and 441.8 respectively), time in MVPA per week (904.7 min vs. 1471.3 min and 1451.0 min), and step counts per week (69,029 vs. 87,119 and 84,700) (p < 0.001). Nurses and supporting staff were not statistically different. There was no significant difference in the PA of workers in the hospital regarding gender and marital status. However, the average calorie expenditure of the child raising group was significantly higher. There was no statistically significant difference in PA before and after counseling. No participants reported a vigorous degree of exercise intensity over the study period. Conclusion: Most of the healthcare personnel met the recommended PA, however, only 57% (36/63) recalled having engaged in MVPA during the study period. The group of physicians showed less PA compared to nurses or supporting staff. Single check-up and counseling were not found to increase PA.

Physical Activity Promotion for Apprentices in Nursing Care and Automotive Mechatronics–Competence Counts More than Volume

“…Despite the exploratory character of this study, we concluded that apprentices from the fields of nursing care and automotive mechatronics accumulate a considerable amount of physical activities over the course of a day. The findings point in the same direction as a recent study that included hospital workers [27], a population very similar to nursing apprentices. The registered values are outstanding in comparison to representative studies of the general population or adolescents of the same age [19] or studies examining other working populations that also used the ActiGraph (e.g., [28]).…”

“…In this context, the role of specific working positions such as "overhead" work has been highlighted due to its considerable risk of physical impairment [32,33]. Likewise, nurses are required to walk around in order to move medical equipment and care for patients through handling or transferring them, so that they have to face intensive physical tasks within their job [27,34].…”

Describing objectively measured intensive care nurses’ physical work activity behavioural patterns during a 12‐hr shift

“…The information collected included age, sex, number of family dependents, part‐time or full‐time working, frequency of night shift working, and general health status. These factors were selected based on a literature review (Wilkerson, Thomas, & Nahar, 2019) and the research results (Jun et al., 2019; McCarthy, Wills, & Crowley, 2018) with regard to socio‐demographic factors associated with physical activity.…”

Physical activity assessment and quality of life in nursing

“…(27) Um estudo realizado em um hospital universitário nos EUA com diferentes profissionais, encontrou que os enfermeiros possuem um nível satisfatório de AF durante a jornada de trabalho, sugerindo que a intensidade física das tarefas do hospital é alta. (28) Entretanto, tais exigências físicas podem estar relacionadas a distúrbios osteomusculares em enfermeiros, com aumento significativo de risco quando associados à falta de AF. (29) Também foi observado que quanto maior a quantidade de locais anatômicos com sintomas musculoesqueléticos, pior a qualidade de vida de profissionais de enfermagem.…”