Physical activity of graduated nurses in one-and multiple-shift work

Introduction: Physical activity enables nurses to better control their mental and physical strain at work, which is important for ensuring quality patient treatment. The aim of the research was to study differences in graduate nurses' physical activity in terms of their working hours, motives and obstacles to regular, free-time physical exercising. Methods: A quantitative survey with two-stage random sampling included 349 graduate nurses employed in the secondary or tertiary levels of healthcare institutions in Slovenia who work one shift (41 %) or multiple shifts (59 %). The data were collected with a questionnaire in 2012 and analysed with a chi-square test, a t-test for independent samples and discriminant analysis. Results: Graduate nurses with one shift perform physical activity more often (p < 0.001) and are more involved in organised physical exercise (p < 0.001) than those who work multiple shifts. The motives for oneshift graduate nurses to engage in physical activity are to control stress, a better mood, along with the desire for exercising, moving and relaxation, whereas nurses who work several shifts encounter obstacles due to not exercising regularly, such as work absences, the fact the effects of exercising are not immediately seen, and the lack of free time (p = 0.025). Discussion and conclusion: The research showed that graduate nurses are not sufficiently physically active. Especially those who work multiple shifts are in danger due to the less organised and lower frequency of activities. It is important to promote health in the workplace in various forms, such as active breaks during work hours and sports games for employees and their families