Barriers to healthy eating in the nursing profession: part 2

Abstract

Respondents in this study do not consider their working environments to be conducive to healthy eating practices.

Barriers and facilitators to healthy eating for nurses in the workplace: an integrative review

“…) and vending machines stocked with junk food or unappetizing canteen food were often the only available source of food for UK night shift nurses working in six hospitals, one NHS Direct and one Walk‐in centre (Faugier et al . ). For staff who brought their own food, space to refrigerate, heat and prepare food were often considered inadequate, either because of lack of access to fridges or microwaves, or because the catering facilities were too far from their work area (Faugier et al .…”

“…); one conducted interviews and observations at facilities (Faugier et al . ) and one used interviews and focus groups (Phiri et al . ) (Table ).…”

Job Stress and Work Schedules in Relation to Nurse Obesity

“…8 In nursing, high workload, low staffing levels, and shorter work breaks have all been reported as barriers to nurses' healthy eating. 9,10 Disordered eating was more prevalent among nurses with high job stress, and the relationship between disordered eating (ie, binging) and obesity was exacerbated by psychological stress. 11 Moreover, Lallukka et al 12 found job stress related to decreased physical activity and unhealthy diet habits (eg, low vegetable or fruit consumption, not choosing whole grains).…”

“…13 Adverse work schedules could lead to obesity among nurses; for instance, shift work and long work hours disrupt normal eating times and reduce access to healthy food. 9,10,14 Because of a lack of available food service, nightshift workers tend to eat unhealthy food (eg, high salt, sugar) from vending machines or prepackaged foods. 15 Nightshift nurses reported that their work schedules affected their stamina, frequency of exercise, and social and family life more than those working other shifts.…”

Theory and Practice of Free Food in Hospitals: A Guide for the Hungry Hospitalist

“…The work demands of hospital staff, coupled with hospitals' limited nutritional offerings, negatively affect a physician's ability to maintain healthy eating habits. [11][12][13] A senior pediatric hospitalist, Dr Michael Ruhlen, noted the adverse effect this lifestyle had on his health and patients' well-being. 14 A novel solution to this challenge was presented by a University of Calgary Health Sciences Center group.…”