Preventing holiday weight gain among rural hospital nightshift employees

PHILADELPHIA – The initiation of a hospital-wide wellness program could help rural hospital nightshift employees prevent holiday weight gain, according to research presented at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 2017 National Conference.

Vicki Brooks, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, sought to prevent holiday weight gain among rural hospital night shift employees using weekly emails that provided evidence-based educational guidelines for obesity and weight gain. The program included 5 interventions—financial literacy, stress management, disease awareness, nutrition, and physical activity recommendations. An interdisciplinary team, which included a licensed physical therapist, a registered dietician, a financial analyst, a social worker, and an NP, presented the guidelines.

Researchers collected pre- and post-holiday season data, including the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II survey, age, gender, education level, marital status, number of children living at home, blood pressure, body mass index, weight, and waist and neck circumference measurements.

The data showed that 88% of the study subjects were able to prevent holiday weight gain by applying the 5 interventions. Of the 27 employees who participated in the project, 24 lost weight (total, 14.58 lbs), and 3 gained weight (total, 1.9 lbs).

“By using collaboration and technology, NPs can help patients prevent weight gain, thus preventing obesity-related diseases,” Ms Brooks concluded.

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Reference

1. Brooks V. Prevention of weight gain during holiday season for rural night shift hospital employees. Presented at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners 2017 National Conference; June 20-25, 2017; Philadelphia.